TNAG-0756-FCO40-960-Strength-of-UK-armed-forces-stationed-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 115

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Mr Murray

CONFIDENTIAL

Jees

НСК

- الحمه

©

A

B

с

D

PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts

Private Secretary

cc:

PS/PUS

Mr Cortazzi

Mr Wilberforce (Defence Dept)

Mr Stewart (HK & GD)

BRUNEI: MINISTRY OF DEFENCE COMMENTS

Five 2011

A

1. The Ministry of Defence concur in the Secretary of State's proposal (on which we are already embarked) for allowing the Sultan until 18 January to submit an appeal to The Queen.

2. Dr Gilbert notes the implications for the Ministry of

Defence of our unilaterally terminating the 1971 Agreement with the Bruneis and announcing the withdrawal of the Gurkha battalion.

Among these are the need to make alternative arrangem ments to reinforce Hong Kong; the Governor should therefore be kept fully in the picture by us (he does in fact receive copies of all correspondence with the Sultan).

3.

The Governor has recently raised the same points. The

preamble to the Defence Cost Agreement covering arrangements

for maintaining the security of Hong Kong states that "the UK Government has confirmed that reinforcement of the garrison will be effected should circumstances so require." The reinforcements are specified in the Ministry of Defence's joint theatre plan for the area, and include the Gurkhas from Brunei.

4.

We have informed the Ministry of Defence of the Governor's

concern for reinforcements to continue to be available on the same scale and within the same time framework as at present, and are seeking assurances that this will be provided for in future. We have also asked for information about Hong Kong's future policy on the use of training facilities in Brunei which, as Dr Gilbert mentions, are of special value for the Hong Kong garrison. Governor has said that it is essential for the operational efficiency of the garrison and the morale of the troops that the training facilities should continue to be available in Brunei or elsewhere.

The

CONFIDENTIAL

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