TNAG-1936-FCO40-2762-Future-of-Hong-Kong-defence-and-public-order-1989 — Page 94

CONFIDENTIAL

127173 MDHOAN 1838

HKC OG

10621

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 8

OF 03150OZ JANUARY 89

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, MODUK

SIC

MODUK FOR SEC (O) (C)

YOUR TELNO 4696 OF 1988: DEFENCE AND PUBLIC ORDER: WITHDRAWAL OF GARRISON

1. WE SHALL NEED TO MAKE A CLEAR STATEMENT ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE FIRST GURKHA BATTALION AT THE SAME TIME AS AN ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE BRIGADE AS A WHOLE, WHETHER OR NOT THE BATTALION IS TO BE DISBANDED. THIS IS BECAUSE IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH A STATEMENT THERE WILL INEVITABLY CONTINUE TO BE UNHELPFUL SPECULATION WHICH WILL HAVE A DAMAGING EFFECT ON MORALE AMONGST THE GURKHAS. MINISTERS HAVE NOT YET DECIDED WHETHER THE FIRST BATTALION WILL BE DISBANDED OR RE-DEPLOYED, BUT WE CONFIDENTLY EXPECT THAT THEY WILL HAVE DONE SO BY THE TIME THE ANNOUNCEMENT IS MADE, PROBABLY IN MARCH. AT THIS STAGE, WE CANNOT SAY WHICH OF THESE OPTIONS THEY ARE LIKELY TO CHOOSE.

2.

AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, WE HAVE RE-DRAFTED THE PAPER FOR THE CHINESE TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS IN YOUR TELEGRAM. IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE SOUGHT TO MAKE THE REASON FOR THE NEED FOR A STATEMENT ON WITHDRAWAL ABSOLUTELY CLEAR. WE HAVE

ALSO INCORPORATED THE OTHER POINTS OF DETAIL IN YOUR TELEGRAM.

3. WE HAVE TAKEN NOTE OF THE EXCO DIMENSION IN PARA 5 OF YOUR TELEGRAM (THERE APPEARS INCIDENTALLY TO BE A TRANSMISSION ERROR

IN THE SECOND SENTENCE: GRATEFUL FOR CLARIFICATION). WE ARE NOW

WORKING ON THE BASIS THAT MCLAREN WILL HAVE TO CONFINE HIMSELF TO PREPARING THE GROUND AT HIS MEETING WITH KE ON 7 JANUARY. BUT WE TRUST THAT HE WILL BE ABLE TO DO SO ON THE BASIS OF A PAPER THAT WILL HAVE BEEN AGREED BETWEEN US, SUBJECT TO EXCO'S APPROVAL. 4.

OUR PROPOSED AMENDMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS (FOR EASE OF REFERENCE WE HAVE INCORPORATED THEM IN A REVISED TEXT IN MIFT):

(A) PARA 2, FIRST SENTENCE: DELETE QUOTE TAKE OVER THE DUTIES ENTRY INTO HONG KONG UNQUOTE AND SUBSTITUTE QUOTE RESUME FROM

THE GARRISON FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PREVENTION OF ILLEGAL ENTRY INTO HONG KONG UNQUOTE.

...

(B) PARA 3: RE-DRAFT THE FIRST SENTENCE AS FOLLOWS: QUOTE

1

PAGE

CONFIDENTIAL