Rev
HKK 062/1
17 AUG 1978
COVERING SECRED
1.
Mr. Simer
19
سلام
1. stout jas
TRY
Mr Murray
DER
INDEX
BRUNET
in Teken
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1. In Hong Kong telegram no. 8 of 4 January the Governor tells of his concern about the proposed withdrawal of our Gurkha battalion from Brunei. He raised in particular the loss of training facilities for Gurkhas stationed in Hong Kong and the problem of reinforcing the Hong Kong Garrison.
2. In your telegram no. 12 of 5 January you confirmed that the MOD are fully aware of the need to ensure that reinforcement for the Hong Kong Garrison is not overlooked and undertook to inform him more fully of MOD proposals.
3. In his letter of 6 January to the Secretary of State, the Minister of State for Defence mentioned that the MOD were aware of both the training and the reinforcement Foblems. The MOD have now confirmed, in a letter from Mr Norbury to me, that they intended to consult Hong Kong about reinforcements, once a decision had been taken on the Brunei Battalion. MOD expect that, barring unforeseen circumstances, it would take a year to plan and execute the withdrawal; thus giving ample time for consultations. The MOD's preliminary assessment, which
Mr Norbury set out in some detail, indicates that they can largely meet the Governor's requirements. On the question of training facilities MOD have followed the line adopted in your telegram
to the Governor: that HMG want to retain the use of these facilities and that it would be contrary to Brunei's recent policy to withdraw them.
4. In Hong Kong telegram no. 55 of 16 January the Governor raises the supplementary question of how he should answer press enquiries on either the withdrawal of the Brunei battalion or the future of the Brigade of Gurkhas in general. We should ask the Governor to avoid answering general questions on the future of the Gurkhas, as this is still under discussion.
COVERING SECRET
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