TNAG-0756-FCO40-960-Strength-of-UK-armed-forces-stationed-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 52

From:

Mr B M Norbury

Head of DS 11

COROIT

ET MON

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

D/DS11/6/7 D/DS11/6/5/4

Main Building, Whitehall, London SWIA 2HB

Telephone (Direct Dialling) 01-218

(Switchboard) 01-218 9000

3287

SECRET

N Thompsos, Pa sa

АККocall

RECEIVED

24 FEB 1978

DCK OFFICER

INDEX 14 Febru

4978

れ

J A B Stewart Esq OBE

Hong Kong and General Department Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Dear Sumrand.

HONG KONG AND BRUNEI

No

13

Thank you for your (unclassified) letter of 7 February commenting on mine to you of 17 January.

2. I really think that we need to be clear on what our policy is to be towards Brunei before we can get very far on our policy in relation to the reinforcement of Hong Kong, and action on the former rests firmly in the hands of the FCO. Moreover, there is no risk of a hiatus occurring in the honouring of our commitment to Hong Kong, given that we have always envisaged that we would need to reinforce from UK if we could not reinforce from Brunei; it is only the timing that is in question. But if you would find it help- ful I suggest that it would be best to undertake further discussion between our Departments by means of a meeting rather than by means of further correspondence, at any rate at this stage. You may like to get in touch with Jane Bennett (Ext 2971) accordingly.

3.. I am sending copies of this letter to Murray Simons and John Wilberforce.

Yours

пти

Brian Nonfi

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