TNAG-2122-FCO40-3028-Future-of-the-Brigade-of-Gurkhas-in-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 64

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO DESKBY 10010OZ HONG KONG

TELNO 1290

OF 09093OZ JULY 90

CONFIDENTIAL

131757

MDHOAN 2116

HKC 062 15

RECEIVER IN

1 1 JUL 1990

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD

FUTURE OF THE GURKHAS IN HONG KONG

1.

ALTHOUGH THE PRIME MINISTER GAVE YOU A PRETTY CATEGORICAL ASSURANCE ABOUT THE GURKHAS DURING YOUR CALL ON 29 JUNE, IT HAS BEEN AGREED THAT IT WOULD STILL BE WORTH WRITING TO THE MOD AT MINISTERIAL LEVEL TO REGISTER OUR CONCERNS.

2. THE LETTER WOULD OF COURSE INCLUDE A REFERENCE TO YOUR MEETINGS WITH THE PRIME MINISTER, QUOTING THE RECORD OF WHAT SHE TOLD YOU (NAMELY: QUOTE WE COULD NOT ALLOW THE HONG KONG COMMITMENT TO BE CHANGED, OR FORCES RUN DOWN BEYOND WHAT HAD ALREADY BEEN AGREED FOR THE PERIOD BETWEEN NOW AND 1997. UNQUOTE). IN ADDITION, IT WOULD NEED TO SET OUT THE SERIOUS MORALE, OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS IN HONG KONG, SHOULD THERE BE ANY GOING BACK ON THE COMMITMENT ALREADY GIVEN IN RESPECT OF THE GURKHAS.

IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE LETTER COVERS THE HONG KONG ANGLE FULLY, I SHOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD LET ME HAVE

3

A SUITABLE PASSAGE ON THE IMPLICATIONS FOR HONG KONG FOR INCLUSION IN THE LETTER. A REPLY DESKBY 101200Z WOULD BE HELPFUL.

HURD

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

16

LIMITED

HKD

MR MCLAREN

NNN N

DISTRIBUTION

16

MR BURNS

PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL

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