TNAG-1936-FCO40-2762-Future-of-Hong-Kong-defence-and-public-order-1989 — Page 83

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 67

CONFIDENTIAL

95

HKC062/ TOP COPY

quake a DIST ?

13/

137550 MOHIAN 7550

OF 06101OZ JANUARY 89

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HỒNG KONG,

HONG KONG

•

OUR TELNO 4689 AND YRTELNO 29: DEFENCE AND PUBLIC ORDER: RESERVED SITES FOR BRITISH CONSULATE GENERAL

1. THE VICTORIA BARRACKS SITE HELD IN RESERVE FOR BRITISH CONSULATE GENERAL FORMS PART OF THE QUEEN'S LINES. THIS IS A SEGMENT OF VICTORIA BARRACKS THAT WAS NOT (NOT) RETURNED TO HKG WITH THE REST OF VICTORIA BARRACKS IN 1978. IT REMAINS PART OF THE MILITARY ESTATE AND WAS REFERRED TO IN THE MILITARY LAND PORTFOLIO (MLP)(THE LAST ITEM ON THE FIRST PAGE OF THE APPENDIX TO CHAPTER 2, IE QUEEN'S LINES HONG KONG, PART OF FORMER VICTORIA BARRACKS).

2. WIGGHAM IN HIS LETTER OF 26 JANUARY 1987 TO HUM (PAGE 3) POINTED OUT THAT THE VICTORIA BARRACKS SITE WAS STILL ARMY LAND. ON 14 JULY 1988, HE REMINDED BERTRAM AND SAVAGE DURING THEIR VISIT TO HONG KONG THAT THERE MIGHT BE COMPLICATIONS ARISING FROM THE FACT THAT THE SITE WAS LISTED IN THE MLP HANDED TO THE CHINESE. THE GOVERNOR MADE THE SAME POINT IN THE MEETING ON 15 JULY.

3. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE BASIS THAT IF YOU OPT FOR THE VICTORIA BARRACKS SITE HELD IN RESERVE, WE SHALL HAVE TO TELL THE CHINESE AND SEEK THEIR AGREEMENT TO RELEASING THE SITE FROM THE MLP.

WILSON

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Redacted under FOI exemption 27(1)