SECRET
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 16130OZ FCO
TELNO 972
OF 16115OZ JUNE 93
INFO DESKBY 16130OZ MODUK
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
063/1
ics
163060
MDHIAN 5125
TOP COPY Q DIST?
SIC
HKA 063/1
PERSONAL FOR MORRIS, HKD. MODUK:
FROM PS/GH.
RI
FOR SECCO)C.
21 JUN 1993
NT.
(TOT)
YOUR TELNO 580, PEKING TELNO 805 AND UKREP JEG TELNO 134: WITHDRAWAL OF THE GARRISON.
1.
THE GOVERNOR TODAY MET CBF, UKREP JLG AND OTHERS TO DISCUSS HOW AND WHEN WE SHOULD (I) INFORM THE CHINESE OF OUR TIMETABLE FOR WITHDRAWING THE GARRISON AND (II) PRESENT THIS DECISION PUBLICLY.
2.
IN THE LIGHT OF THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN TURS AND IN PARTICULAR, UKREP JLG'S CONCERNS ABOUT ELICTING A KNEE-JERK OBJECTION IF THE CHINESE SIDE FEEL BOUNCED THE GOVERNOR TOOK THE VIEW THAT WE SHOULD ALLOW A GAP OF THREE WEEKS BETWEEN INFORMING THE CHINESE AND GOING PUBLIC. WE WOULD NOT HOWEVER GIVE THE CHINESE SIDE A FIRM DATE FOR OUR ANNOUNCEMENT, TO AVOID CREATING A DEADLINE FOR A CHINESE RESPONSE. IF, AS YOUR TUR INDICATES, UKREP JLG IS IN A POSITION TO INFORM THE CHINESE ON 28 JUNE, HE WOULD TELL THEM THAT WE WERE THINKING IN TERMS OF AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN MID-JULY. THE ACTUAL DATE OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT WOULD THEN BE AROUND 19 JULY. CBF'S VIEW IS THAT THIS SHOULD BE MANAGEABLE IN TERMS OF FORWARD PLANNING, EVEN IF HE IS UNABLE TO TAKE ANY OVERT STAFFING ACTION UNTIL THAT POINT SO AS TO MINIMISE THE RISK OF A LEAK.
3. ON THE APPROACH TO THE CHINESE, THE GOVERNOR SHARES YOUR VIEW THAT WE SHOULD PRESENT THE DECISION AS A CULMINATION OF A MEASURED PERIOD OF PLANNING AND SHOULD STRESS THAT THE PLANS FIT PRECISELY THE TERMS OF THE BRIEFING GIVEN TO THE CHINESE SIDE IN 1987, AND MEET THE POINTS RAISED BY THE CHINESE SIDE THEN. HE ALSO BELIEVES THAT WE SHOULD STRESS:
(A) THE ENORMOUS PRESSURES ON BRITISH FORCES ELSEWHERE,
FOR EXAMPLE IN THE FORMER REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA:
PAGE
SECRET
1
Page 300Page 301
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.