4095
SECRET
SECRET
FM MODUK
TO DESKBY 21010OZ GOVERNOR HONG KONG
TELNO U/N
OF 20083OZ MARCH
INFO PRIORITY
INFO PRIORITY
SIC ACA/ZAC/EAD
90
FCO LONDON
HQBF HONG KONG
все
102331
MDLIAN 7760
HKC0621
RECEIVED IN REG
09 APR 1990
DESK OFFICER INDER
RA
FIELD DESKBY 21010OZ. FOR WOTHERSPOON SECURITY DEPT FOR HATFIELD SEC(O) (C). FCO FOR HKD. HQBF FOR CIVIL SECRETARY AND CIVIL ADVISER. RN PRESENCE IN HONG KONG.
1. FURTHER TO THE MEETING LAST FRIDAY BETWEEN AUS (GF) AND THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY ON THE DEFENCE COSTS AGREEMENT, THIS IS TO CONFIRM HMGS POSITION, AT OFFICIAL LEVEL, ON THE FUTURE OF THE RN PRESENCE IN HONG KONG.
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. THE CONSIDERED MOD 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 AN 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, PARTICULARLY, FOLLOWING THE EVENTS IN PEKING LAST JUNE, THE FACT THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT NOW CONSIDERS THE RETENTION OF THE RN PRESENCE AS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE IN DEMONSTRATING BRITISH POLITICAL COMMITMENT AND PRESERVING CONFIDENCE. THE SUBSTITUTION OF BIRD CLASS VESSELS (ALTHOUGH LESS CAPABLE) FOR THE PEACOCKS WOULD HAVE OFFERED A CHEAPER WAY OF MAINTAINING A PRESENCE BUT WE RECOGNISE THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO PRESENT THIS POLITICALLY IN HONG KONG.
-
WHICH
4. AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, AND ON THE CLEAR UNDERSTANDING YOU CONFIRMED ON FRIDAY THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT FOR POLITICAL REASONS NOW WISHES TO RETAIN THE RN AFLOAT PRESENCE, IT HAS BEEN AGREED IN PRINCIPLE TO RECOMMEND TO MINISTERS THAT THE PEACOCKS BE RETAINED IN HONG KONG WATERS UNTIL 1997, SUBJECT TO
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