TNAG-1639-FCO40-2284-Future-of-Hong-Kong-withdrawal-of-the-British-garrison-1987 — Page 33

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG

UNCLASSIFIED

JOPY a DIST.?

HKC 062/1

RECEIVED IN ALCIO?

28 AUG 1987

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 3214

DEX OFFICER

INDEX

PA

ALDOL Finen

OF 27102OZ AUGUST 87

INFO ROUTINE PEKING

MIPT: DEFENCE AND PUBLIC ORDER: PRESS COVERAGE

HK STANDARD ARTICLE BEGINS.

TROOP PULL-OUT STARTS 1989

¿

439

011577

MDLIAN 1093

BUT NO AGREEMENT YET FROM CHINA

BRITAIN INTENDS TO START WITHDRAWING ITS TROOPS FROM THE 9000 STRONG GARRISON HERE IN 1989.

IT WILL MARK THE BEGINING OF A GRADUAL PULL-OUT AND INFORMED SOURCES SAY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TOLD CHINA OF ITS INTENTION AT THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP MEETING HELD HERE IN MARCH.

BUT IT IS UNDERSTOOD CHINA DISAGREES WITH THE PLAN AND AN AGREEMENT ON THE TIMING OF THE WITHDRAWAL HAS NOT BEEN THRASHED OUT AFTER SEVERAL ROUNDS OF TALKS.

CHINA FEELS THE PULL-OUT SHOULD BEGIN ATLEAST SEVERAL YEARS LATER. PROBABLY IN THE EARLY 1990S OR MID-1990S.

THIS IS BECAUSE THE PRESENCE OF THE GARRISON HAS BEEN REGARDED BY LOCAL PEOPLE AS A SYMBOL OF BRITISH CONFIDENCE AND AN EARLY WITHDR- AWAL OF THE TROOPS MAY SEND SHOCK WAVES THROUGH THE LOCAL INVESTMENT COMMUNITY.

CHINA FEARS THIS OUTCOME, EVEN THOUGH IT ACCEPTS THE BRITISH PLAN TO BOOST THE STRENGTH OF THE POLICE FORCE TO FILL THE GAP.

A RIFT HAS DEVELOPED BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS OVER WHEN AND HOW FAST THE WITHDRAWAL SHOULD TAKE PLACE AFTER A RECENT JLG MEETING

IN LONDON SOURCES SAID.

''BUT CONTRARY TO SOME REPORTS, CHINA HAS NOT INSISTED THAT BRITAIN SHOULD KEEP THE 9,000 STRONG GARRISON INTACT UNTIL THE LAST DAYS''.

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