CONFIDENTIAL
UK COMMS ONLY
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY KATHMANDU
TELNO 118
OF 231703Z JUNE 93
CONFIDENTIAL UK COMMS ONLY
002552
MDLOAN 5958
120
HKA 063/1
1993
INFO ROUTINE MODUK ARMY, HONG KONG, CBF HONG KONG
ра
HONG KONG FOR POLITICAL ADVISER
NIR
YOUR TELNO 130: GURKHA RUNDOWN
FROM SAD
1.
OF
YOU ARE CORRECT IN YOUR ASSUMPTION THAT THE RUNDOWN BRITISH FORCES IN HONG KONG MAY BE ADVANCED, ALTHOUGH A FINAL DECISION ON THIS HAS NOT YET BEEN TAKEN. ANY SUCH DECISION WILL NOT (NOT) AFFECT EXISTING PLANS TO AMALGAMATE THE TWO GURKHA BATTALIONS IN SEPTEMBER 1994. HOWEVER, IF A DECISION ON THE EARLIER WITHDRAWAL IS TAKEN IT AND THE AMALGAMATION WILL BE ANNOUNCED TO PARLIAMENT DURING THE WEEK BEGINNING 19 JULY. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THIS DOES NOT LEAK BEFORE THEN. YOU WILL OF COURSE BE GIVEN WARNING OF ANY MOVES THAT AFFECT THE NEPALESE IN TIME TO BRIEF THEM PRIOR TO ANY ANNOUNCEMENT HERE.
2.
YOU ARE ALSO RIGHT IN ASSUMING THAT THIS DOES NOT (NOT) AFFECT THE INTENTION TO RETAIN THE GURKHA STRENGTH AT 2,500 AFTER 1997.
HURD
YYYY
MAIN
23
SAD
HKD
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION
23
NPDD
PAGE
1
CONFIDENTIAL UK COMMS ONLY
Page 255Page 256
A The National Archives
DEPARTMENT/SERIES
PIECE/ITEM
(one piece/item number)
Extract details:
FCO 40
38.74/1
Folio 119
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.