TNAG-2676-FCO40-3873-Hong-Kong-garrison-withdrawal-plan-1993 — Page 168

SECRET

ANNEX B

DRAFT SIGNAL MESSAGE FROM SECRETARY OF STATE TO GOVERNOR OF HONG

KONG

I was grateful for your response to my letter of 15 April

and the paper on the future of the Hong Kong garrison I sent with

it.

I recognise the particular political difficulties you face

with LEGCO over the question of defence costs and can understand

why you feel unable to endorse the basic concept of retaining a

garrison based around two infantry battalions. I am concerned

however that paragraph 2 of your letter appears to imply that we

would be able to carry out the task of replacing the police on

the border with only one battalion. As the paper I sent you

makes clear if the garrison reduces to one battalion it will only

be capable, in the event of an internal security crisis, of

guarding the defence estate in Hong Kong and helping secure an

airhead for reinforcement. No military resources would be

available to relieve the police on the border with China until

reinforcement arrived.

You

Notwithstanding that, we will now address the early

reduction in the size of the garrison down to one battalion.

will appreciate that there are some attractions in this for us,

given growing pressures on Army manpower. The next step here is

for Ministers collectively to consider in OPD (K) the political,

military and financial implications of a rapid run down of the

SECRET