SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE MOD UK
TELNO U/N
OF 291651Z APRIL 93
063/1
SECRET
Ніка RECEIVED IN
17 MAY 1993
PA
ALUDTRY Action Taken
INFO IMMEDIATE FCO, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
SIC
Tel to Hong Kong
A
57
020063
MDHIAN 9151
C
Spoke to Desmond Bower
who will convene a messing ar MoD with me, Peter (?) you (?), on Thing or fri next week,
tive way ford.
FOR SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DEFENCE FROM THE GOVERNOR
FCO FOR MR GOODLAD AND SIR JOHN COLES
PEKING FOR THE AMBASSADOR
UKREP JLG HONG KONG FOR MR GALSWORTHY
HQBF PERSONAL FOR CBF
FUTURE OF THE GARRISON
•
iolý
week, to disum
5 20/4
1 I WAS GRATEFUL FOR THE CHANCE OF AN INITIAL DISCUSSION OF THE
1993 REVIEW OF THE GARRISON WHEN WE MET ON 15 APRIL.
ROLE AND SIZE OF GARRISON
2. I GENERALLY AGREE WITH THE ASSESSMENT OF THE ROLE OF THE
GARRISON IN THE PAPER. I ALSO SHARE THE VIEW THAT THE KEY FACTOR
DRIVING THE GARRISON'S OVERALL SIZE IS ITS POTENTIAL ROLE IN
INTERNAL SECURITY. FOR THAT REASON, THE FUNCTIONS THE GARRISON MIGHT BE EXPECTED TO PLAY IN THIS ROLE NEED TO BE CAREFULLY EXAMINED IN THE REVIEW. THE GARRISON WAS LAST DEPLOYED ON THE STREETS IN AN INTERNAL SECURITY ROLE IN 1967. IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH IT WOULD BE SO DEPLOYED AGAIN. MY OWN
VIEW IS THAT IF THERE WAS A BREAKDOWN OF INTERNAL ORDER IN THE RUN-UP TO 1997, IT MIGHT BE NECESSARY TO USE THE POLICE WHO NOW MAN THE BORDER TO REINFORCE THOSE ON THE STREETS, AND TO USE THE ARMY TO REPLACE THE POLICE ON THE BORDER. WHILE THE ASSESSMENT OF STRENGTH REQUIREMENTS IS CLEARLY FOR YOU, IT MUST AS I SAID WHEN WE MET BE QUESTIONABLE WHETHER TWO BATTALIONS WOULD BE NEEDED FOR THIS TASK ALONE, AT LEAST INITIALLY. IF THERE WAS A REAL NEED TO DEPLOY THE ARMY ON THE BORDER FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, REINFORCEMENT COULD SURELY BE CONSIDERED.
3. THERE IS ALSO, AS WE DISCUSSED WHEN WE MET, A CHINESE ANGLE. HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT IN MY VIEW DECISIVE. WE ARE COMMITTED TO KEEP THE CHINESE INFORMED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS OF WITHDRAWAL OF THE GARRISON. THIS WILL NEED CAREFUL HANDLING. THE CHINESE WILL
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