TNAG-1936-FCO40-2762-Future-of-Hong-Kong-defence-and-public-order-1989 — Page 65

CONFIDENTIAL

Hong Kong in mid-1992. This timing is fully in accordance with the planning originally described in Paper II (paragraph_19):

Review of the Brigade of Gurkhas

6.

Redacted under FOI exemption 27(1)

The Brigade of Gurkhas includes in all five infantry battalions, three of which are stationed in Hong Kong. There has been considerable speculation about the future of the Brigade after 1997 when there will be no British forces in Hong Kong. The British Government is undertaking a review of the future of the Brigade of Gurkhas in the British Army. They expect that the result of the review will be announced in about March 1989.

7.

Speculation about the future of the Brigade has generated considerable uncertainty which could, if it remained unresolved have an adverse effect on morale among the Gurkhas and on their ability to perform their duties effectively in Hong Kong and elsewhere. For this reason the British Government intend that the statement to be made in about March 1989 about the future of the Gurkhas should include an announcement on the withdrawal of the first Gurkha Battalion from Hong Kong in mid-1992 and its disposition after that date. One option would be to re-deploy the Battalion concerned. Another would be that the Battalion should be disbanded. In either event there will need to be an

announcement on its future in the statement about the future of the Brigade of Gurkhas as a whole. The statement will not make any reference to future withdrawals from Hong Kong.

8.

The British side remain fully committed to maintaining security and stability in Hong Kong at all times up to 1997. The British side have also undertaken to keep the Chinese side informed of their planning throughout the process of withdrawal of the Garrison, in particular at the time of the major review which will take place in 1992. They will continue to carry out that undertaking to the full.