TNAG-2120-FCO40-3026-Hong-Kong-Garrison-future-of-the-Royal-Navy-presence-1990 — Page 216

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SECRET

DRAFT TELEGRAM TO HONG KONG SECURITY DEPARTMENT

For Wotherspoon Security Dept for Hatfield Sec(0) (C)

RN Presence in Hong Kong

Redacted

lunder FOI exemption 27(1)

1. Further to our meeting on Friday on the Defence Costs

THE

Agreement, this is to confirm HHG position at official OF MUD OFFICIALS

level, on the future of the RN Presence in Hong Kong.

1

2. At present the garrison withdrawal plan assumes that the

three Peacock patrol craft will leave Hong Kong in 1991/2,

with their residual tasks being taken on by MARPOL. The 1988

DCA was drawn up and agreed on the basis of this withdrawal

plan as have our forward defence programming assumptions. Consequently there is no financial provision for running on

'these craft after 1991/2 and, as important, no manpower

planned for them. Our assessment is that there has been no

substantive change in the military position since the withdrawal plan was drawn up and that therefore the military

case is in itself insufficiently strong to justify the

retention of an RN presence. Certainly in defence programming

terms we would be reluctant to see this additional commitment

displace other items of greater military priority.

3. We do however recognise that there are political factors

favouring retention of an RN presence,

SECRET

ME

NOT WITH STANDING WITHSTANDING

GOLENOID!

DE ROUTE he the CBF