TNAG-0757-FCO40-961-Strength-of-UK-armed-forces-stationed-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 140

CYPH

CAT A

IMMEDIATE

CONFIDENTAL

HKK obal

722

FM BRUNEI Ø10845Z

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY @11200Z

TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 128 OF 1 JUNE,

RECEIVED

2 - JUN 1978

DEK OFFICER INDEX

PA

RE Action Trito

OF THE SAME

4

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG (PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR), JAKARTA, KUALA LUMPUR AND SINGAPORE.

BRUNEI TALKS,

1. THIS WEEK'S FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW CONTAINS A MAJOR PIECE ON BRUNEI, DATELINED LONDON, HEADLINED QUOTE LAST RAYS OF THE SETTING SUN FOR BRUNEI UNQUOTE.

2. THE ARTICLE REFERS, INTER ALIA, TO A QUOTE DIPLOMATIC NOTE PASSED TO THE SULTAN IN MARCH WHICH AMOUNTED TO AN ULTIMATUM UNQUOTE, AND INCLUDES IMPRESSIONS BY QUOTE OBSERVERS OF THE LAST MEETING AT THE TIME OF THE QUEEN'S JUBILEE UNQUOTE. IT ALSO DESCRIBES POSSIBLE BRITISH INSISTENCE ON REMOVING THE GURKHAS QUOTE WHEN DR OWEN MEETS THE WILY AGING EX-SULTAN ON JUNE 12 UNQUOTE.

3, THE MATTER COULD WELL BE TOUCHED ON BY THE SULTAN ON SATURDAY.

I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR GUIDANCE THEREFORE AS TO THE WAY I SHOULD RESPOND.

FCO PASS HONG KONG AND JAKARTA.

DAVIDSON

FILES

REPEAT

SEAD

REPEATED AS

REQUESTED

SIR A DUFF

]

HRGD

MR CORTAZZI

ого

MR MURRAY

NEWS D

DEFENCED

PS

PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS

Ps/pus

CONFIDENTIAL