TNAG-2122-FCO40-3028-Future-of-the-Brigade-of-Gurkhas-in-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 21

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DEPLOYMENT OF THE NEPALESE ARMY (MY TELNO 422) :

B)

THE CAP BADGE ARGUMENT IS CLEARLY VERY EMOTIVE (AS A NATIONAL

SERVICE GUNNER WHOSE BATTLE HONOUR WAS QUOTE UBIQUE UNQUOTE.

I TEND TO FORGET THIS). BUT

I) THERE WOULD SEEM TO BE NO REALISTIC ALTERNATIVE FOR THE GURKHAS IN HONG KONG UNTL 1997 (AND BRUNEI COULD WELL CONTINUE

THEREAFTER ) :

II) THE PROJECTION OF BRITISH POWER IN THE NINETIES AND BEYOND

WILL NEED SOLDIERS AS WELL AS NAMED REGIMENTS. I HOPE THAT THE DEMOGRAPHIC ARGUMENT IS NOT OBSCURED BY THAT ON CAP BADGES. THE

UK HAS WIDER COMMITMENTS THAN OTHER MAJOR EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, BUT FROM A SIMILAR POPULATION BASE AND WITHOUT CONSCRIPTION. IF THE BRITISH ECONOMY GOES EVEN HALF AS WELL AS IT SHOULD

THE GURKHAS ARE LIKELY TO REMAIN AN IMPORTANT AND ASSURED

MANPOWER ASSET IN A RECRUITING CLIMATE WHICH WILL BE DIFFICULT

EVEN WITH A REDUCED LEVEL OF FORCES.

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3.

THESE ARE SCARCELY NEW POINTS. BUT I AM NEW TO THE DISCUSSION.

IT CONCERNS ME HOWEVER THAT DECISIONS MAY BE TAKEN IN THE

UK ON DOMESTIC AND REGIMENTAL GROUNDS ALONE. PRESENTATION OF THE

SITUATION TO THE NEPALESE GOVERNMENT IS CRUCIAL ALSO.

WE ARE DEALING WITH THE LONGEST STANDING ELEMENT IN BILATERAL

RELATIONS, WHICH ARE ANYWAY SPECIAL, AND A DOMINANT ONE. THE NEPALESE GOVERNMENT AND THE KING HAVE TAKEN ON BOARD

THE

YOUNGER STATEMENT OF MAY 1989 (WHICH ITSELF WILL INVOLVE

PAIN FOR THE BRIGADE AND NEPAL). WE BELIEVE THAT MR BHATTARAI

WAS ADDRESSING HIMSELF TO THIS WHEN HE SPOKE TO MY

PREDECESSOR ABOUT THE RATE OF RUNDOWN (KATHMANDU TELNO 385). EMOTIONALLY THEY HAVE NOT TAKEN ANY WORSE SCENARIO ON BOARD, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE MADE CLEAR THAT IN THE CHANGED SECURITY

CLIMATE OPTIONS ARE HAVING TO BE RECONSIDERED.

4.

I AM BEGINNING TO NEED FRESH GUIDANCE. IF WE ARE GOING TO

CHANGE THE BASIS OF THE TRIPARTITE AGREEMENT THEN WE NEED TO WARN

THE NEPALESE IF THEIR COOPERATION IS TO BE ENSURED. I HAVE

BEEN STRUCK BY HOW UNCONTROVERSIAL THE GURKHA CONNECTION IS HERE PROBABLY ON ALL SIDES UNLESS IT IS TURNED INTO A POLITICAL FOOTBALL, IN WHICH CASE THE QUESTION OF BRITISH GURKHAS WOULD BECOME ENTANGLED WITH THE FUTURE OF THE MUCH

LARGER INDIAN ARMY CONTINGENT. THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE

NEPALESE CAN BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED. WE SHALL MAKE DIFFICULTIES

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