TNAG-0756-FCO40-960-Strength-of-UK-armed-forces-stationed-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 50

GR 13%

EDIATE

OTPHER/CAT A

FM HONG KONG 240945Z

CONFIDENTIAL 624

RECEIVE

24 FEB 1978

DESK OFFR

INDEX

No

43

M. Kaise

PA

दि

а

CONFIDENTIAL

TO IMMEDIATE F.C.O TELNO.222 OF 24 FEBRUARY 78,

INFO IMMEDIATE: BRUNEI, KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE, JAKARTA.

BRUNE!.

1. THE 3 MARCH ISSUE OF ASIA WEEK, PUBLISHED HERE TODAY, INCLUDES A SEVEN-PAGE FEATURE ON BRUNEI ENTITLED QUOTE LOOKING

FOR A NEW FRIEND UNQUOTE. IT QUOTES BRUNEI SOURCES AS SAYING THAT NEXT WEEK BRITAIN WOULD FINALLY WITHDRAW THE GURKHA BATTALION. THERE IS NO SUGGESTION OF HONG KONG INTEREST IN THE BATTALION AND WE HAVE HAD NO PRESS QUERIES. IF ASKED WE PROPOSE, UNLESS OTHERWISE INSTRUCTED, TO SAY THAT NEGOTIATIONS ARE CONTINUING BUT/NO AGREEMENT HAS YET BEEN ANNOUNCED AND

BUT NO THAT THE FUTURE OF THE BATTALION MUST THEREFORE BE REGARDED AS UNDECIDED SEE OUR TELNO.154, NOT COPIED ELSEWHERE),

2. COPY FOLLOWS BY BAG (F.C.O ONLY).

MACLEHOSE

NNNN

FILES:

SEAD

HK & G D

DEF D

No

abint

decision has yet

the future of the Gurkha

been taken

Suttalion.

NEWS D

PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS

PS/PUS

SIR A. DUFF

MR CORTAZZI

MR MURRAY MR MOBERLY

CONFIDENTIAL