TNAG-1936-FCO40-2762-Future-of-Hong-Kong-defence-and-public-order-1989 — Page 87

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 034

OF 04113OZ JANUARY 89

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, MODUK

INFO ROUTINE UKREP JLG HONG KONG

HKC062

6

130516

MDHIAN 7221

TO Q

OPY

SIC

YOUR TELNOS 8-9. DEFENCE AND PUBLIC ORDER: WITHDRAWAL OF GARRISON

·

1 THANK YOU FOR TURS. SUBJECT TO TWO MINOR COMMENTS WE ARE CONTENT WITH THE AMENDED DRAFT PAPER IN SECOND TUR.

2. OUR COMMENTS ON THE PAPER ARE:

/

(A) PARA 3 FINAL SENTENCE: THE CLAUSE QUOTE RELIEVING ONE OF THE

TWO BATTALIONS OF THE GARRISON WHICH CARRY OUT BORDER DUTIES UNDER

PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS UNQUOTE CONTRADICTS THE STATEMENT WE MADE IN PAPER IV, Q9 AND PAPER III PARA 32 TO THE EFFECT THAT EACH OF THE FOUR BATTALIONS IS DEPLOYED IN ROTATION ON BORDER DUTIES. WE

SUGGEST THAT THE SENTENCE BE AMENDED TO READ QUOTE THE POLICE WILL THEN RESUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ONE-HALF OF THE BORDER, THUS REDUCING DEMAND FOR MILITARY MANPOWER, UNQUOTE:

(B) PARA 6, THE EXTRA SENTENCE PROPOSED IN PARA 4(F) OF FIRST TUR HAS BEEN INCLUDED TWICE. WE ASSUME THAT THE CORRECT PLACE IS AFTER SECOND SENTENCE, NOT AT THE END.

3. WITH REFERENCE TO PARA 3 OF FIRST TUR, THE SECOND SENTENCE OF PARA 5 OF OUR TELNO 4696 OF 1988 SHOULD READ QUOTE WITH UNQUOTE NOT QUOTE NOTE UNQUOTE.

4. AS WITH WITHDRAWAL OF THE TWO PATROL CRAFT, WE EXPECT THAT THE CHINESE WILL BE CONCERNED WITH HOW WE WILL PRESENT THE DECISION

PUBLICLY. WE ASSUME THAT YOU WOULD BE HAPPY TO SUE THE LINE CONTAINED IN THE PAPER IN PUBLIC. AS WE SEE IT, IT IS IMPORTANT TO STRESS THE LINKAGE BETWEEN THE ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE QUESTION OF THE FUTURE OF THE BRIGADE OF GURKHAS, AND TO EMPHASISE THAT IT DOES NOT IMPLY THAT WE HAVE REACHED DECISIONS ABOUT OTHER ASPECTS OF THE WITHDRAWAL

5. WE ASSUME THAT YOU WILL BE DRAFTING A NOTE FOR MCLAREN TO USE

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CONFIDENTIAL