whom he
seep
saw the secreting
Lof state putry; the Prime
Minister of Grenada recontry asked for
WIES
Л
ار
多
17.
CONFIDENTIAL
Barbados stressed the need to keep WIGS to
help with a determine show of force.
The proposed timings of the staged withdrawal
of the Hong Kong Garrison (Serial 2) are based on
the 1991 review of the withdrawal plan which
recommends that the garrison remains "stronger for
расе
longer" ie the price of withdrawal is slower than
earlier envisaged. The review is subject to
approval by the Chiefs of Staff.
18. A staged withdrawl of the garrison will need
careful handling with the Chinese but should not
be to the detriment of Hong Kong's defence. As
the 1991 review suggests, the timings of the
withdrawals will be based on the assessment of the
ability of the Hong Kong security forces to take
over the duties it currently performs. Withdrawal
times are therefore flexible and will be decided
in future reviews in the light of prevailing
circumstances.
19. The proposed withdrawal of the RN presence
next year however may have serious repercussions
IN ADDITION, for the HMG and the Hong Kong Government. The
firm view of both the HKG and CBFHK is that a
military need for the patrol craft will remain
until 1997, in helping to combat smuggling and
dealing with encroachments by Chinese patrol
serious
Λ
tions
vessels. There are also implications for our
relations with Hong Kong and China.
Withdrawal of
the patrol craft would be interpretedd in Hong
Kong as a weakening of HMG's commitment to the
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.