TNAG-2677-FCO40-3874-Hong-Kong-garrison-withdrawal-plan-1993 — Page 83

SECRET

ZCZC

SECRET

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO

OF 161458Z NOVEMBER 93

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM RICKETTS, HKD

IMMEDIATE

RUN-DOWN OF THE HONG KONG GARRISON

1.

Following the decision taken by OPD (K) in June by

correspondence to reduce the Garrison to a single Battalion by

September 1994, there have been continuing discussions between

the MOD and the Treasury about how this should be implemented.

2. The Treasury have calculated that withdrawing the UK

Battalion from Hong Kong between June 1994 and late 1996, as

proposed in the paper for OPD(K), would cost the MOD budget an

extra pounds 30 million. They favoured either disbanding the UK

Battalion on its arrival back in the UK (rejected by MOD) or

sending the UK Battalion back out to Hong Kong as from 1 April

1995, disbanding the Gurkha Battalion at that time. The MOD

resisted this both for their own reasons in terms of availability

of UK infantry, and because it would swing extra costs on to the

Hong Kong Government complicating further their continuing

discussions that with you about the Defence Costs Agreement.

3.

GARR.JRB

HKD

PF RICKETTS

Fer 000

use only

Comcen reference

Telegram number

2647

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23.

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