HKB 063/1
CONFIDENTIAL
From: M L Howard Secretariat (Overseas) (Commitments)
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Main Building, Whitehall SW1
071 218 6272
105
RMS Sykes Esq South Asian Dept
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
King Charles St
London SW1
Dear Perger
D/Sec (0) (C) 6/7
2 July 1991
HONG KONG GARRISON: WITHDRAWAL OF FIRST BATTALION
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1. Thankyou for your letter of 27 June. I have no difficulty with the arrangement for informing the Nepalese (and of course the Bruneians) if the announcement on the withdrawal of the first battalion forms part of a wider announcement on the future of the Gurkhas. Equally, if at the time we tell the Chinese, we know that there will not be an announcement on the Gurkhas, there should be no problem about informing Kathmandu and Brunei at about the same time.
2. The problem arises if my Ministers agree to telling the Chinese on 5 July which to date they have not - but reserve their position on whether or not a wider announcement should be made on the future of the Gurkhas. (For practical reasons, whatever happens, we will have to announce something about the withdrawal of the first battalion before the summer recess.) In those circumstances I see little alternative to telling the Chinese on 5 July and holding off telling the Nepalese and Bruneians until we hear whether a wider announcement on the Gurkhas is to be made. If it is, we can revert to Plan A. If it isn't, we will simply have to tell the Nepalese and Bruneians about the withdrawal as soon as possible after it is confirmed that any announcement will be confined to that fact.
3. I am sorry this is all a bit messy, but I fear it is a consequence of a relatively non-contentious issue (the withdrawal of the first battalion) being linked to a much more controversial one (the future of the Brigade of Gurkhas). I will keep you and the Hong Kong Dept (to whom I am copying this) in touch with developments.
copy to: FCO (Hong Kong Dept)
Your
Martin
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