TNAG-0756-FCO40-960-Strength-of-UK-armed-forces-stationed-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 67

GR 155

PRIORITY

CONFIDENTIAL

Akkoll,

RILAM

14 FER 1978

DESK OFFCTV INDEX

PA

र

30

Taken

CYPHER/CAT A

FM HONG KONG 140855Z

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY F.C.O TELNO.177 OF 14 FEBRUARY 78,

INFO BRUNEI.

YOUR TELNO.103 : BRUNEI.

1. YOU ARE RIGHT IN ASSUMING THAT MY TELNO.154 WAS A QUOTE

WORST CASE UNQUOTE BRIEFING WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FIRST ALTERNATIVE IN THE BACKGROUND PARAGRAPH WHICH, OF COURSE, COVERS

ENQUIRIES WHILE NEGOTIATIONS ARE STILL CONTINUING. WE NOTE THAT, BEFORE ANY WORST CASE ANNOUNCEMENT, YOU AND M.0.D WILL TELEGRAPH ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE. WE TRUST THIS WILL EITHER CONFIRM THE LINE

IN OUR TELNO.154 OR COVER THE SAME POINTS,

(96

2. FURTHER GUIDANCE IS THEREFORE UNNECESSARY AT PRESENT. WE WERE

HOWEVER PUZZLED BY THE POINT RAISED IN THE FINAL SENTENCE OF PARAGRAPH 2 OF YOUR TEL UNDER REF ABOUT QUOTE THE FUTURE OF THE

BRIGADE OF GURKHAS UNQUOTE. WE HAD NOT CONSIDERED THAT THIS IN ITSELF WOULD BECOME AN ISSUE AS A RESULT OF THE POSSIBLE OUTCOME. OF EVENTS IN BRUNEI AND WE DO NOT EXPECT QUESTIONS ON THESE LINES.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

HK & GD (5)

DEF D

SEAD

SIR A DUFF MR CORTAZZI

MR MOBERLY

PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS MR MURRAY

PS/PUS

MR EDMONDS

CONFIDENTIAL