TNAG-0617-FCO40-765-Strength-and-cost-of-UK-armed-forces-stationed-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 126

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FROM: MR BH COUSINS, HEAD OF DEFENCE SECRETARIAT 6

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

Main Building Whitehall London SW1A 2HB

Telephone 01-218

01-218 9000

(Direct Dialling) (Switchboard)

R&R

Jees

(20

JA B Stewart Esq OBE

"

Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Hong Kong Department)

Kings Charles Street SW1A 2AH

Dear John,

HONG KONG: GURKHAS AND REINFORCEMENT

Your reference

Our reference

Date

D/DS6/46/66/1

9th June 1977

1

Thank you for your letter HKK 400/1 of 26 May in which you asked for our views on the Governor of Hong Kong's assessment of the effect on Gurkhas in Hong Kong and on reinforcement of any change in our force level in Brunei.

2. Of the two main points which the Governor appears to be making, we would agree generally with the first, that the Gurkhas should be given every possible opportunity both to train outside Hong Kong and to serve alongside British troops. As regards training, you will know that it is planned to retain training facilities in Brunei even if the Gurkha battalion should be withdrawn. As to serving alongside British troops, Brunei would not immediately seem to be of enormous advantage here.

3. Turning to the question of reinforcement, it is apparent that the Governor has somewhat softened his line compared with earlier messages which were coming through from Hong Kong. It is of course true that NATO commitments are and must continue to be our first priority but, having said that, we would of course accord a high priority to a current reinforcement situa- tion and I think it should be said we have yet to fail to meet an overseas reinforcement threat. I do not think it is appropri- ate or necessary at this stage to go into the detail of reinforce- ment times as I think that consideration of this point can await the outcome of the current negotiations with Brunei.

4.

Finally, I quite agree that the Governor should be continued to be kept informed of progress on the Brunei negotiations and the situation here should, with luck, become a good deal clearer' in the course of the next week or so.

LAST

REF.

14

NEXT

REF.

Yours

ever

mor

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 16 JUN 1977

~KK 062/1

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