CONFIDENTIAL
137022
MDHIN 6169
BRITISH GARRISON IN JUNE 1991. HE WOULD LIKE TO PAY ANOTHER VISIT THIS YEAR AND GO OUT WITH THE GURKHAS ON EXERCISE. GENERAL FOLEY CONFIRMED THAT THE GARRISON WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO MAKE THE NECESSARY ARRANGEMENTS FOR THIS.
4.
LATER IN THE CONVERSATION GENERAL FOLEY TOLD THE SULTAN THAT, UNDER OPTIONS FOR CHANGE AND IN THE RUN-DOWN OF THE HONG KONG GARRISON, THE BRITISH ARMY WOULD NEED TO PAY OFF A NUMBER OF GURKHAS BEFORE THEIR CONTRACTS WERE UP. THE SULTAN IMMEDIATELY SAID THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING. BRUNEI NEEDED MORE GURKHAS: THE GURKHA RESERVE UNIT COULD CERTAINLY TAKE 200-300 MORE. GENERAL FOLEY AND THE SULTAN AGREED THAT THIS SITUATION HAD THE MAKINGS OF
I A MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN BRITAIN AND BRUNEI. SUGGESTED THAT THE SULTAN MIGHT LIKE TO PURSUE THIS MATTER FURTHER WITH COLONEL SCOTSON, THE GURKHA RESERVE UNIT COMMANDER, WHEN HE RETURNED FROM HIS CURRENT UK LEAVE. THE SULTAN SAID HE WOULD DO THIS.
5.
THE SULTAN WAS NOT TO BE DRAWN ON TIMINGS FOR THE NEW DEFENCE PROCUREMENT PROGRAMME. BUT HE WELCOMED THE ASSURANCES GIVEN HIM BY GENERAL FOLEY THAT WE STOOD READY TO PROVIDE THE APPROPRIATE LOAN SERVICE PERSONNEL TO SUPPORT THE ACQUISITION AND INTRODUCTION OF NEW WEAPONS SYSTEMS AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
6 =
COMMENT. THIS IS THE FIRST OCCASION ON WHICH THE SULTAN HAS CATEGORICALLY ASKED FOR THE BRITISH GARRISON TO STAY ON AFTER 1998, ALTHOUGH THIS THOUGHT WAS CLEARLY IN HIS MIND WHEN HE TALKED WITH THE DEFENCE SECRETARY IN LONDON LAST DECEMBER. THE SULTAN WAS IN A POSITIVE AND ENTHUSIASTIC MOOD ABOUT UK/BRUNEI DEFENCE RELATIONS AND HE WILL CERTAINLY AIR HIS VIEWS ON THE FUTURE OF THE GARRISON WHEN CGS COMES HERE IN JUNE AND CDS IN SEPTEMBER. IF THE SULTAN IS AWAY WHEN THE DEFENCE SECRETARY VISITS BRUNEI IN MAY THE SULTAN WILL I THINK LIKE TO SEE MR RIFKIND IN LONDON. I WILL REVERT ON THIS AS SOON AS THE SULTAN'S TRAVEL PLANS FIRM UP. AS TO THE SUBSTANCE OF THE ISSUE I THINK WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO STAND WITH THE LINE TAKEN BY THE DEFENCE SECRETARY IN DECEMBER I.E. WE SHALL NOT BE IN A POSITION TO FIRM UP OUR OWN IDEAS BEFORE 1994/95 BUT WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH THE SULTAN.
SINDALL
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