TNAG-2675-FCO40-3872-Hong-Kong-garrison-withdrawal-plan-1993 — Page 91

GOVERMENT HOUSE HONG KONG.

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 342

OF 0211172 MARCH 93

WED 14 APR 93 09:45

FILE COPY SECRET

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

PERSONAL FOR SIR JOHN COLES, DUSS, FROM GOVERNOR

PG.15

TAB C

14

000947

MY TELNOS 2642 AND 2681 AND YOUR TELNO 1599 OF 1992: GARRISON WITHDRAWAL

1.

SINCE THE EXCHANGE OF TURS IN NOVEMBER 1992, I HAVE DISCUSSED THE QUESTION OF THE GARRISON WITHDRAWAL WITH THE DEFENCE SECRETARY IN JANUARY AND SIR CHRISTOPHER FRANCE IN FEBRUARY. DURING THESE MEETINGS IT BECAME CLEAR THAT CONSIDERABLE WORK IS NEEDED TO CONVINCE THE MOD OF THE IMPORTANCE AND URGENCY, OF REDUCING DEFENCE COSTS IN REAL TERMS EACH YEAR. WITHOUT SUCH CUTS, FOR REASONS THAT I EXPLAIN BELOW, I SEE VERY GREAT DIFFICULTIES IN MAINTAINING LEGCO SUPPORT FOR THE DEFENCE COSTS AGREEMENT. BEFORE WE TAKE THIS WHOLE ISSUE FURTHER WITH THE GARRISON HERE AND WITH MOD, I WANTED TO SEEK FÇO VIEWS ON HOW WE SHOULD PROCEED.

ROLE OF THE GARRISON

2.

SINCE THE 1950S IT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED THAT THE GARRISON COULD NOT RESIST A PLA INVASION OF HONG KONG. THEIR MAIN ROLE IN RECENT YEARS, APART FROM PROVIDING A VISIBLE REMINDER OF BRITISH SOVEREIGNTY, HAS BEEN TO MAN THE BORDER IN ORDER TO PREVENT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AND TO SUPPORT THE MARINE POLICE AGAINST SMUGGLING AND TERRITORIAL INCURSIONS AT SEA. THEIR INTERNAL

IT IS EXTREMELY HARD SECURITY ROLE WAS LAST EXERCISED IN 1967.

IN TO SEE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH IT WOULD BE EXERCISED AGAIN. THE RUN UP TO 1997, IF THERE WERE A BREAKDOWN OF INTERNAL ORDER, I WOULD ENVISAGE THAT IT MIGHT BE NECESSARY TO USE THE POLICE WHO NOW MAN THE BORDER TO REINFORCE THOSE ON THE STREETS, AND TO USE

IT MUST BE THE ARMY TO REPLACE THE POLICE ON THE BORDER.

ARGUABLE WHETHER IN-PLACE FORCES OF THE PRESENT SIZE ARE NECESSARY FOR THAT TASK. IF THERE WAS A REAL NEED TO DEPLOY THE ARMY ON THE BORDER FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE 10 SEND REINFORCEMENTS.

3.

THE

FOLLOWING THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE ARMY FROM BORDER DUTIES, MAIN OPERATIONAL ROLE OF THE GARRISON AT PRESENT IS LIMITED TO ROYAL NAVY SUPPORT OF THE MARINE POLICE AND, ALTHOUGH THIS IS A LESSER TASK, ARMY SUPPORT OF THE POLICE IN THE NON-URBAN AREAS IN ANTI-SMUGGLING SURVEILLANCE.

FOR ALL THE ABOVE REASONS, I THINK THE PURPOSE OF MOD'S 1993 REVIEW SHOULD BE TO IDENTIFY WAYS TO SPEED UP THE WITHDRAWAL OF

2.

DEFENCE AND PUBLIC ORDER: REVIEW OF THE GARRISON WITHDRAWAL PLAN

SFORS

A:

D: HE CS FS

PA(3) JLG (1) PS/GH (4).

NOTE: PERSONAL COVERS

SEOPET

ECRET REGIST