TNAG-2239-FCO40-3218-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Royal-Navy-presence-1991 — Page 95

121851Z

SECRET

UK EYES ALPHA

FM FO

SECRET

HKB 063/

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG WECEIVED IN REGISTRY

TELNO 1123

OF 10114OZ JUNE 91

25 JUN1991

AND TO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PEKING INFO PRIORITY HQBFHK, BANDAR SERIA BEGAWAN

GF.

* Hd / NPDD Hd/SAD

HONG KONG GARRISON: WITHDRAWAL OF THE FIRST BATTALION

1.

TOP COPY

тра

MOD MINISTERS HAVE NOW AGREED TO CONFIRM THAT THE FIRST BATTALION SHOULD BE WITHDRAWN IN 1992 AS PLANNED. THE REMOVAL { WILL BE EFFECTED FROM APRIL 1992, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AGREED GARRISON WITHDRAWAL PLAN. THE PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE FIRST BATTALION IS LIKELY TO BE MADE IN MID TO LATE JULY. IT WILL BE TIMED TO COINCIDE WITH ANNOUNCEMENTS ON THE FUTURE OF THE GURKHAS. AS YOU WILL HAVE SEEN FROM FCO TELNO 141 TO KATHMANDU, AT OFFICIAL LEVEL THE MOD ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THE BRIGADE OF GURKHAS SHOULD BE MAINTAINED BUT THAT THE NUMBER SHOULD BE REDUCED. WE UNDERSTAND THAT HQBF, AND YOU, HAVE BEEN FULLY CONSULTED ON THIS, AND THAT IT WILL ALLOW SUFFICENT STRENGTH IN THE HONG KONG GARRISON TO BE MAINTAINED.

2. THE NEXT STEP IS FOR YOU TO INFORM THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, IN STRICT CONFIDENCE, OF THE DECISION TO WITHDRAW THE FIRST BATTALION AND OF THE PLANS FOR ITS PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT.

3.

WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR VIEWS ON WHEN MR GALSWORTHY SHOULD INFORM GUO. AS YOU WILL UNDERSTAND, THE MOD ARE VERY ANXIOUS THAT NONE OF THESE DETAILS LEAK PREMATURELY. THE CHINESE HAVE A REASONABLY GOOD RECORD ON THIS BUT WE WOULD NEED TO IMPRESS UPON THEM THE NEED TO KEEP IT CONFIDENTIAL UNTIL ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE MADE. WOULD INFORMING THE CHINESE APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE OF THE ANNOUNCEMENTS HERE BE ADEQUATE QUERY. MOD MINISTERS ARE ANXIOUS THAT THE PERIOD OF NOTICE SHOULD NOT BE LONGER THAN THIS. THEY ARE ALSO KEEN THAT THE INFORMATION GIVEN TO THE CHINESE SHOULD BE CONFINED TO THE FACT THAT ONE BATTALION WILL BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE GARRISON ORDER OF BATTLE IN APRIL 1992: WE SHOULD NOT STRAY INTO THE QUESTION OF THE FUTURE OF THE GURKHAS.

HURD

M

·

17/05

88

·Septembe

1922

NNNN

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

LIMITED

HKD

HEAD FED

NEWS DEPARTMENT

PLANNERS

PUSD

RAD

PS/LORD CAITHNESS

PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD

1

SIR J COLES

| MR BURNS

ADDITIONAL

MS BARRETT, LEGAL ADVISERS MISS BROOKS, LEGAL ADVISERS MR APPLEYARD, CABINET OFFICE

sharbonnaspied

SECRET

×2926.

conca

SAD want 18 copy to ketmar du.

MCOTICD Teoarce.