TNAG-2122-FCO40-3028-Future-of-the-Brigade-of-Gurkhas-in-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 67

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CONFIDENTIAL

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M J Williams

South Asian Department

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DATE:

5 July 1990

CC:

Mr McLaren!

Mr Goulden

Mr Burns

Mr Paul

HKD

THE GURKHAS

1.

Thank you for your minute of 3 July. I imagine you have seen the manuscript minuting added by Mr McLaren (on 3 and 4 July) Mr Goulden on 3 July and Mr Burns on 4 July. The conclusion which they came to is that, although there is no serious expectation that MOD might try to renege on the commitment to keep Gurkhas in Hong Kong up until 1997, it would be worth Mr Maude writing to Mr Hamilton, MOD, to confirm the point, as specifically requested by Sir D Wilson.

2.

Before a letter is sent from FCO on this point, I think we need also to consider whether we should be putting down a marker about the need, in terms of our relations with Nepal, to retain a Gurkha brigade at all after 1997. This is of course a separate issue, but it is related. If an FCO Minister writes to the MOD now about the future of the Gurkhas referring only to the commitment to Hong Kong, which is not seriously in doubt, it will look as though we do not much care if after 1997 the brigade is disbanded.

MW3AAS/1

CONFIDENTIAL