TNAG-1937-FCO40-2763-Future-of-Hong-Kong-defence-and-public-order-1989 — Page 89

HOURAM.

SECRET UK EYES A LOCSEN

43. If the concept of advancing the major review to 1991 is endorsed by the

COS, it will be necessary to consult with the HKG on the issue because the ori-

ginal call for such a review came from the Executive Council. It is also rele-

vant that the Chinese have been informed that the major review will take place

in 1992; it will therefore be necessary to advise the PRCG, through the medium

of the JLG, of any timescale revision.

expand

GARRISON TITLE

44. CDS 7/87 introduced the concept of the title "Sovereign Force Hong Kong"

for the Hong Kong garrison in order to meet the need to signal British

sovereignty and HMG's continuing political commitment to the Territory

throughout the phased withdrawal. However, the FCO have expressed concern about

formal or public adoption of this title. The FCO have made the point that the

garrison has had responsibility for demonstration of British sovereignty over

the Territory for well over a century without resort to any special title. They

have observed, that it would not be readily explicable why HMG should choose to

make the point less than a decade before relinquishing sovereignty. They

suggest that the Hong Kong public would find it richly ironic and that the

Chinese, who have never acknowledged British sovereignty over Hong Kong would be

perplexed and irritated by a gesture they would perhaps interpret as provoca-

tion. For these reasons, it is proposed that the term "Sovereign Force Hong

Kong" be discarded and that the garrison retain the title "Hong Kong Garrison"

until the final handover.

ROW 113 (HONG)

27

SECRET UK EYES A LOCSEN