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GARRISON FROM THE GOVERNMENT. AND I DOUBT IF IT WOULD BE SEEN IN THE COMMUNITY AS ANYTHING MORE THAN A SENSIBLE RESPONSE TO CHANGED CIRCUMSTANCES.
3. IF WE WISH TO WITHDRAW THE CBF FROM EXCO BEFORE 1997, THERE ARE VERY FEW OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SO. IT WOULD CLEARLY BE UNDESIRABLE TO REMOVE A SERVING CBF. THAT WOULD BE SEEN AS REFLECTING BADLY ON THE INDIVIDUAL, WHICH IS THE LAST THING WE WANT. CONSEQUENTLY THE ONLY WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY ARE WHEN THE CBF CHANGES. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE ONLY TWO CHANGES EXPECTED BEFORE 1997, I.E. NEXT SPRING AND AROUND THE END OF
1994.
4. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE TO ACT ON THIS ISSUE EARLIER RATHER THAN LATER. SOONER OR LATER, THE CBF'S PRESENCE ON EXCO WILL BECOME A POLITICAL ISSUE IN HONG KONG. IT IS CLEARLY ANOMALOUS IN TODAY'S POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT. IT COULD
EASILY BE TWISTED BY BUDDING POLITICIANS INTO ACCUSATIONS OF MILITARY/HMG INTERFERENCE IN LOCAL DOMESTIC AFFAIRS. EQUALLY, IT COULD ALSO BECOME A FOCUS OF AN ARGUMENT ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE
POST 1997 COMMANDER OF THE PLA WILL HOLD A SIMILAR POSITION, WITH DEMANDS THAT HMG SHOULD ENSURE THAT HE DOES NOT. I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT WAS IN ALL OUR INTERESTS TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO WITHDRAW CBF FROM EXCO BEFORE THESE PROBLEMS ARISE.
5. FOR ME THIS IS NOT A CRUCIAL AND IMMEDIATE ISSUE IN COMPARISON WITH MANY OTHERS. I DO NOT INTEND TO SPEND A GREAT DEAL OF POLITICAL AMMUNITION ON IT. BUT WE SHOULD DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH OUR EYES OPEN. IN MY VIEW, IF WE OPT FOR THE EASY WAY OUT OF TAKING NO DECISION NOW BECAUSE OF INTER-DEPARTMENTAL ARGUMENTS, WE SHALL SIMPLY BE STORING UP TROUBLE FOR THE FUTURE.
6. I ENTIRELY UNDERSTAND THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE WANTS IF
POSSIBLE TO AVOID OVERRIDING THE DEFENCE SECRETARY. MOD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL ON PATROL CRAFT, ALTHOUGH THAT IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT ISSUE. IF, HOWEVER, FCO MINISTERS WISH TO PURSUE THIS ISSUE, AS I BELIEVE WOULD BE SENSIBLE, I AM QUITE CONTENT THAT YOU SHOULD SAY THAT WE HAVE BOTH CONSIDERED THE ARGUMENTS AGAIN IN THE LIGHT OF
SIR MICHAEL QUINLAN'S LETTER AND THAT I STILL THINK IT IS RIGHT TO PROCEED WITH THE PROPOSAL.
7. I SHOULD BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS THIS DURING MY VISIT TO LONDON IN JANUARY IF NECESSARY, ALTHOUGH I WOULD HOPE THAT A DECISION WOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY THEN. IF IT WOULD HELP, I COULD GO OVER THE
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