TNAG-2677-FCO40-3874-Hong-Kong-garrison-withdrawal-plan-1993 — Page 227

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in (Personal)

Governor, Mary Kary 2. M. Buake str

MO 6/19/1M

SECRET

SECRETARY OF STATE

PRIME MINISTER

LETTE 103422

UMBER:

MKA 063/1

JUL 1993

PS low Goodlad

PS Ipus Chuet Cleck Sir J Coles

мнит Mr Muir RFD NPOD

anners News Opt

- Special Advies.

New juuen

HONG KONG: THE FUTURE OF THE BRITISH GARRISON

I have seen Kenneth Clarke's minute to you of 29th June, and also your Private Secretary's reply.

points.

2.

Kenneth raises a number of

I can confirm that the extra costs of reducing the Hong Kong Garrison as proposed in OPDK(93)8 will be absorbed within the Defence Budget.

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3. I believe that it would be totally untenable to disband the UK infantry battalion when the Hong Kong Garrison reduces to one battalion, under Douglas Hurd's and my proposals, in September 1994. Only in February we agreed to increase by two the planned number of infantry battalions in the Army's ORBAT. Even the new planned level is regarded as inadequate by our critics in the Defence Committee and elsewhere, and a reduction could not be justified by reference to ending a UK infantry battalion presence in Hong Kong from 1994 when our plans for the rundown of the Brigade of Gurkhas require a UK infantry battalion presence in Hong Kong from late 1996.

Ι

4. I also see disadvantages in Kenneth's alternative proposal. believe that the net saving to the Defence Budget compared with what

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