CONFIDENTIAL
ARY 165
LACKGROUND NOTE : CALL BY MR A C WATSON : HIGH COMMISSIONER DESIGNATE :
BRUNEI : THURSDAY 19 OCTOBER AT 10.30 a.m.
The Gurkha Battalion in Brunei
As a result of an agreement reached with the Sultan of Brunei in June a battalion of Gurkha Infantry will continue to be stationed in Brunei for a period of 5 years. As was the case under the previous arrangement, the Sultan of Brunei will meet the full costs of this battalion.
The battalion is drawn in rotation from the Gurkha Brigade, 3 other battalions being stationed in Hong Kong while the remaining 1 is in the UK. The Brunei battalion remains an integral part of the British Army. Operational control is with the Ministry of Defence and HMG retains the right to withdraw the battalion temporarily should circum- stances elsewhere make this necessary. The battalion is not available for internal security operations in Brunei and its use for defence against external attach is subject to joint consultation.
The Brunei battalion is a part, and the most readily available part, of the reinforcements earmarked for the Hong Kong garrison. The doubt earlier this year about whether an agreement would be reached with the Sultan, if it had not the battalion would have been withdrawn from Brunei, caused considerable concern in Hong Kong.
Judicial Arrangements
As part of this year's negotiations on a new treaty arrangement the Sultan of Brunei asked for the present arrangement to be continued whereby judges from the Hong Kong Supreme Court are made available to staff the High Court and the Court of Appeal in Brunei. The Sultan also sought to preserve the arrangement by which appeals from Brunei Courts are made to the Privy Council.
The Hong Kong Government were consulted on the first point and confirmed that they were happy with the arrangements. They have therefore been included in the exchange of Notes with the Sultan.
Ortohem 1078
Hkk @ball
KEJIMO
INDE
NO. ST
CONFIDENTIAL
Hong Kong & General Department
I Watson duly called and I spoke or the lines of this brief. He was obvious not particularly bothered.
8219/10
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.