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FM HQBF HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE AIG 6576
TELNO U/N
OF 19020OZ JULY
INFO ROUTINE
INFO ROUTINE
INFO ROUTINE
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148
066567
MDHIAN 9241
TOP COPY
93
2 GR WAINWRIGHT
HMA 063/Q DIST
R
TPS BRUNEI BRIGNEPAL
JUL 1993
ра
L
SIC ADA/CNC
LOCSEN
PERSONAL FOR COMDS FM CBF. SUBJ IS FUTURE OF HONG KONG GARRISON 1. GENERAL. MOD KEEPS UNDER CONTINUOUS REVIEW PLANS FOR THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE HONG KONG GARRISON. MINISTERS IN LONDON, AND THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG, HAVE RECENTLY AGREED PROPOSALS FOR REDUCTIONS IN THE SIZE OF THE GARRISON BETWEEN NOW AND 97. THE FOLLOWING MINISTERIAL ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE MADE TODAY (19 JUL) IN LONDON AND REPEATED BY CBF AT A PRESS CONFERENCE IN HONG KONG ON TUE 20 JUL 93 QUOTE BROAD PLANS HAVE NOW BEEN FINALISED FOR THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE
THE HONG KONG GARRISON BY 30 JUN 97. UNITS OF ALL THREE SERVICES ARMY, THE ROYAL NAVY AND THE ROYAL AIR FORCE WILL REMAIN IN HONG KONG UNTIL THEN. HOWEVER THE GARRISON WILL CONTINUE TO REDUCE IN STAGES OVER THE PERIOD, AS LOCAL FORCES ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS FORMER OPERATIONAL TASKS. IN THE LATTER PART OF 94, THE 1ST BATTALION THE BLACK WATCH WILL RETURN TO UK AND THE 2 GURKHA BATTALIONS WILL MERGE TO FORM THE 1ST BATTALION THE ROYAL GURKHA RIFLES. ONE BATTALION WILL REMAIN IN HONG KONG UNTIL JUN 97. THE STRENGTH OF LOGISTIC AND OTHER SUPPORTING UNITS WILL BE REDUCED INLINE WITH THAT OF FRONT LINE UNITS. THE 3 ROYAL NAVY PATROL CRAFT PRESENTLY IN HONG KONG WILL REMAIN UNTIL JUN 97. ROYAL AIR FORCES HELICOPTERS WILL ALSO REMAIN IN HONG KONG UNTIL 97 ALTHOUGH THEIR NUMBERS MAY BE REDUCED. THE PLANS MEAN THAT FOR THE FINAL 2 YEARS OF BRITISH SOVEREIGNTY, THE GARRISON WILL BE ABOUT 3000 STRONG. IT WILL COMPRISE A HEADQUARTERS, AN INFANTRY BATTALION GROUP, LOGISTIC SUPPORT, NAVAL PATROL CRAFT AND ROYAL AIR FORCE HELICOPTERS UNQUOTE
2. PHASES. IN EFFECT THE GARRISON WILL LEAVE HONG KONG IN TWO PHASES. PHASE 1 WILL BE AN INTIAL DRAWDOWN DURING 94 AND BY 1 JAN 95 TO A GARRISON OF APPROXIMATELY 3000. PHASE 2 WILL BE THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE REMAINING ELEMENTS IN LAT 96 AND 97
3. THIS SIGNAL PROVIDES YOU WITH SUFFICIENT INFORMATION ON PHASE 1 TO BRIEF YR SUBORDINATES ON OUR OUTLINE PLANS WITH THE CAVEAT THAT MUCH FURTHER WORK REMAINS TO BE DONE ON THE EXACT COMPOSITION OF THE GARRISON AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THE GARRISON WILL DRAWDOWN TO ITS
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