RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 1205
OF 211254Z JULY 93
INFO PRIORITY MOD
INFO ROUTINE PEKING
TOP COPY Q DIST?
SIC
149
075216
MDLIAN 6571
HKA 063/
RY
på
JUL 1993
E
ical
WITHDRAWAL OF THE GARRISON
1.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF PLANS FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE GARRISON WENT SMOOTHLY HERE, WITH LITTLE ADVERSE REACTION. THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS WIDELY REPORTED, BUT ONLY THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST (SCMP) GAVE IT EXTENSIVE COVERAGE. AN EDITORIAL IN SCMP STATED THAT 'A 3000- STRONG FORCE IS ADEQUATE TO THE TERRITORY'S NEEDS' AND LEGISLATORS FROM BOTH THE UDHK AND THE LIBERAL PARTY WERE QUOTED AS SAYING THAT HONG KONG'S SECURITY WOULD NOT/NOT BE AFFECTED BY THE WITHDRAWAL. MEDIA INTEREST FOCUSED ON THE SCOPE FOR SAVINGS, THE FUTURE OF SITES AND FACILITIES VACATED BY BRITISH FORCES, THE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE SIZE OF THE PLA GARRISON AFTER 1997 AND THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR LOCAL PEOPLE EMPLOYED BY THE GARRISON. SCMP MADE GREAT PLAY OF THE FACT THAT THE CHINESE SIDE HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE PLANS.
2. I HAVE GREATLY APPRECIATED THE WORK MOD HAD HQBF HAVE DONE TO BRING THE ANNOUNCEMENT OFF SUCCESSFULLY AND HOW CLOSELY THEY HAVE WORKED ON THIS WITH HKG OFFICIALS. I AM PARTICULARLY GRATEFUL TO THE CBF, NOT LEAST FOR THE SKILL AND SENSITIVITY WITH WHICH HE HANDLED A POTENTIALLY TROUBLESOME PRESS CONFERENCE HERE YESTERDAY MORNING.
PATTEN
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