TNAG-2676-FCO40-3873-Hong-Kong-garrison-withdrawal-plan-1993 — Page 71

SECRET

temptation would be stronger if the Chinese perceived that HMG

did not have the force immediately available to help deal with

Credible and effective re-inforcement arrangements

the unrest.

would be essential.

The

7. It has already been agreed with the Hong Kong gover¬ment

that one of the two Gurkha battalions should be temporarily

redeployed to carry out a tour in Belize between October 1993 to

March 1994. The UK resident battalion, currently 1st Battalion

The Black Watch, could be redeployed to the UK and would be

available for other duties. The Army have requested that the

move takes place somewhere between April and September 1994.

two Gurkha battalions left in Hong Kong would amalgamate, as

already planned, into a single unit by September 1994.

point before then, the resident garrison would relinquish its

capability to relieve the police on the border. Before then we

would also need to review our plans for re-inforcement of Hong

Kong and the role such re-inforcements might carry out.

At some

8. An accelerated run down along these lines would allow

reductions in support facilities to be made. An initial

assessment indicates that it should be possible to reduce overall

manpower numbers in the garrison to approximately 3,000 by 1

January 1995, compared with nearly 9000 now. It may also be

possible to make savings in RAF helicopter numbers though this

will need to be investigated further. The RN patrol craft have a

role in demonstrating sovereignty and helping preserve

territorial integrity, but are retained primarily for non-defence

reasons, at the instigation of the Hong Kong government. They

are not affected by these proposals.

PA/S/2.033

5

SECRET