MO 6/19/1M HKA 063/
CONFIDENTIAL
SECRETARY OF STATE
30th April 1993
R
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04 MA. 1993
DESK TROX
Head of Sec(0)(C)
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Copy to:
MA/Minister (AF)
PS/US of S. DPSO/CDS
PS/PUS
Sec CNS MA/CGS
PA/CAS
MA/VCDS
PS/2nd PUS PS/DUS (P) MA/DCDS(C) ACDS (0) AUS (C)
AUS (GF)
DO (FEW)
Press Secretary
GF(Pol)1
FCO (Hong Kong Dept✈
GARRŃod
SECRETARY OF STATE'S MEETING WITH GOVERNOR PATTEN: 15 APRIL 1993
Governor Patten called on the Secretary of State in his office on the afternoon of 15 April. You sat in along with Mr Bowen Cheung, Mr Ricketts (FCO), and the Special Adviser.
2.
The Governor began by referring to his recent meeting with Sir Christoper France, which he had found very helpful. The Legislative Council were finding it increasingly difficult politically to justify paying for the garrison. There was a need to show that costs were falling significantly during the run down to 1997. welcomed the opportunity to have an input to MOD thinking.
He
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3. The Secretary of State handed over the letter you had recommended (MO 6/19/1J of 15 April refers). He said that the precise make-up of the MOD presence in Hong Kong should be subordinate to the Governor's judgement. MOD had examined the more radical option of quickly running down to a single battalion. would have obvious attractions in terms of cost, to the Governor, and manpower to MOD. However, in the current climate, this might send the wrong signals to both China and Hong Kong. It would therefore seem inappropriate to pursue it at present. The Governor was now involved in talks with China. Were these to be resolved satisfactorily, so that genuine tranquillity was restored to the
CONFIDENTIAL
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