TNAG-1584-FCO40-2158-Localisation-of-the-Hong-Kong-police-force-1986 — Page 21

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GPS 800

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 02110OZ FCO

TELNO 9

OF 320910Z JANUARY 86

SECRET

LIKK 382/2

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

03 JAN1986

DISK OFFICES

AVQUSTRY

INFO DESKBY 03010OZ PEKING INDEX

PA

Aulia Takan

3.

2.

MIPT * FUTURE OF HONG KONG POLICE • DRAFT SPEAKING NOTE.

BEGINS.

Redacted under FOI Exemption S 27(1):

# SHOULD LIKE TO RAISE THE FUTURE INTERNAL SECURITY OF HONG KONG.

BOTH OF US ARE PLEDGED TO STABILITY AND PROSPERITY FOR HONG KONG

DURING THE TRANSITION. IT WILL BE IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN GOOD OPPER

AND CONFIDENCE OF HONG KONG BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER 1997.

THE JOINT DECLARATION MADE CLEAR THAT THE HONG KONG SAR WOULD BE

RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC ORDER: AND WE ARE AWARE

OF CHINESE THINKING ON A PLA PRESENCE IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997.

WE HAVE SO FAR HAD LITTLE DISCUSSION ON THE MEANS. AM WELL AWAPE

THAT THIS IS A SENSITIVE AREA FOR THE CHINESE SIDE. THE SAME IS

TRUE FOR HMG.

2.

INTERNAL SECURITY IN HONG KONG HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN ENSUPED

BY THE POLICE, SUPPORTED WHEN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY BY THE BRITISH

GARRISON. THE BRATISH GARRISON WILL LEAVE FINALLY BY 30 JUNE 1997.

THIS WITHDRAWAL CANNOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. THERE WILL NEED TO BE

SOME STAGING: AND HMG WILL REED ## HONG KONG'S INTERESTS AS WELL

AS IN LTS OWN TO EXAMINE THE TIMING AND MODALITIES VERY CAPEFULLY:

THE DECISIONS WILL NOT BE RUSHED. GENERALLY THE CHINESE SIDE CAN

COUNT ON US TO PROCEED CAREFULLY AND SENSITIVELY. AS WE HAVE SAID

IN ANOTHER CONTEXT, WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF NEGLECTING OUP

RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE GOOD. GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG IN, THE

PERIOD UP TO 1997.

3. WE HAVE HOWEVER COME TO ONE FIRM CONCLUSION ON AN IMPORTANT POINT

WHICH WILL BE OF INTEREST TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT.

GIVEN THE PROVEN

CAPABILITY OF THE POLICE TO DEAL WITH INTERNAL SECURITY SETUATIONS

IN HONG KONG MMG HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO POLE FOR AN

INTERNAL SECURITY FORCE. BRITISH MINISTERS HAVE NOW RULED OUT THIS

POSSIBILITY. WE AGPEE THAT IT WOULD PE BETTER TO EXPAND THE POLICE

FORCE. WE SHALL WANT IN DUE COURSE TO ENLARGE ON THIS (OPEN SQUARE

BRACKETS) IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP (CLOSE SQUARE BRACKETS).

OUR OWN NEXT STEP WILL BE TO WORK OUT IN DETAIL HOW MUCH LARGER

THE POLICE FORCE WOULD NEED TO RE. OUR PRELIMINARY THINKING IS THAT

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