TNAG-2122-FCO40-3028-Future-of-the-Brigade-of-Gurkhas-in-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 44

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10 October 1990

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Mr McLaren, Mr Burns

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Hong Kong Department

Mr Williams, SAD

THE GURKHAS IN HONG KONG

1. You will recall that we promised the Governor of Hong Kong that we would arrange for an FCO Minister to write to Mr Archie Hamilton (MOD) underlining Sir D Wilson's concerns about the possibility that the Gurkha battalions in Hong Kong might be disbanded.

2. I duly submitted a draft létter on 13 July. But Ministers subsequently decided that the draft should also deal with the Gurkhas in Brunei and Nepal. A revised draft was commissioned and it was agreed that SAD would assume the lead.

3.

I understand that a revised draft has yet to be submitted by your Department. There may be good reasons for this; but from my point of view it is extremely embarrassing that a letter has not yet issued, in view of the undertaking I gave to the Governor that this would happen.

I should be grateful to know the position and advice on what I should tell the Governor.

4.

A R Paul

ALDAFK

CONFIDENTIAL