TNAG-0756-FCO40-960-Strength-of-UK-armed-forces-stationed-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 121

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CYPHER CATA

F C O 651733Z

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

HKK 062/1

TAM1073

3

DESK OFFIC

PA

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TEL NO 12 OF 5

14

BRUNEI.

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR ONLY, D FROM MURRAY: YOUR TEL NO 8

SA

1. THANK YOU FOR THIS REMINDER. THE EFFECT OF THE PROPOSED COURSE OF ACTION ON THE CAPABILITY TO REINFORCE HONG KONG IS PRIMARILY FOR MOD ALTHOUGH WE KEEP CONTINUOUS SURVEILLANCE OF THE ISSUE. MOD WHO HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED THROUGHOUT H11 OUR BRUNEI POLICY, ARE FULLY AWARE OF THE NEED TO COVER THIS ASPECT (SEE FOR EXAMPLE CDS'S LETTER OF 22 JUNE TO CBF). I WILL TELL YOU OF THEIR PROPOSALS WITH REGARD TO PARA 5 OF YOUR TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. EVEN IF UNILATERAL ACTION IS TAKEN, OF COURSE, THE GURKHAS WOULD NOT LEAVE BRUNEI IMMEDIATELY, STRICTLY FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION I UNDERSTAND THE MOD ARE THEREFORE THINKING IN TERMS OF LETTING THE PLANNED BATTALION ROTATION IN APRIL CARRY ON, 2. AS FOR TRAINING, EVEN IN A WORST-CASE SITUATION IN ANGLO-BRUNEI RELATIONS, 1.E. IF WE WERE OBLIGED TO NOTIFY THE SULTAN OF TERMINATION OF THE 1971 AGREEMENT AND OF OUR INTENTION TO BEGIN WITHDRAWING THE GURKHAS, WE WOULD NOT EXPECT THE BRUNEIS TO REFUSE TO ALLOW FURTHER USE OF THE TRAINING FACILITIES: FOR THEM TO DO THIS WOULD RUN COUNTER TO THEIR MAIN AIR WHICH HAS BEEN TO RETAIN BRITISH MILITARY INVOLVEMENT. LIKEWISE THERE IS NO QUESTION OF OUR SEEKING THE RAPID WITHDRAWAL OF OUR LOANED SERVICE PERSONNEL OR TAKING OTHER MEASURES WHICH WOULD BE LIKELY TO WEAKEN BRUNEI AND CREATE INSTABILITY IN THE AREA.

3. BECAUSE OF THE DELICACY OF THE MATTER AND BECAUSE NEITHER YOUR LETTER OF 18 MAY NOR MINE OF 31 MAY WERE COPIED TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE (NOR INDEED TO MOD), I HAVE NOT COPIED YOUR TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE TO BRAY,

OWEN

FILES

ARG-D

DEFENCED

PS/LORD CORONWY ROBERTS

PS/PUS

SIR A DUFF

MR CORIA ZZI

MR MOBERLY

MR MURRAY

CONFIDENTIAL