TNAG-2674-FCO40-3871-Hong-Kong-garrison-withdrawal-plan-1993 — Page 16

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HKA (63)

19 MAR 1993

7

REGISTRY

ection Taken

pa

29

X

↓ Marshall

You

Mr Ricketts

Ricketts,

HKD

FROM:

١٥

PS7MY Goodlad

DATE:

18 March 1993

CC:

Sir J Coles

AM

Quesning

Sir T Daunt

Mr Hum

Mr Lever

Mr Callway, NPDD

Mr Davies, FED

HONG KONG: THE GARRISON

1.

The Minister was grateful to you and to the others who attended his office meeting on 17 March to discuss follow-up to your submission of 10 March.

Participants at the meeting agreed on the following three major points:

2.

- At the political level, the first step was for Mr Rifkind to write to the Governor on whether the run-down of the garrison leading up to 1997 could be accelerated. The Minister of State for the Armed Forces seemed to favour early withdrawal of one battalion: MOD were engaged in working up and costing this proposal. Once Mr Rifkind's letter issued, the Secretary of State could chip in to the correspondence if need be. OPD (K) would have to make the final judgement.

- At senior official level, Mr Daunt should encourage MOD (VCDS?) to take a much more thorough look at support costs. The aim would be to end the process of "feather-bedding" (excess MOD visitors, over-provision of cars, the RN hospital etc) and to query the "profit" element in the costings for the garrison on the basis of which the 65% LegCo share is calculated.

- The problem of the FY 1992/93 overspend should be resolved at MOD/Hong Kong Government technical level. The FCO were best out of this.

6.5. Soney

Greg Dorey

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