TNAG-2746-FCO40-3961-Visits-by-Chris-Patten--Governor-of-Hong-Kong--to-the-UK-1993 — Page 41

Defence Lands

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CONFIDENTIAL

Rundown of the Garrison

13. The Governor was happy with the handling and presentation of the revised plans for the withdrawal of the garrison. The media reaction was generally one of mild approval and there were no official Chinese objections. plan will make it significantly easier to get Hong Kong's share of the Defence Costs Agreement through LegCo.

The

14. The Governor was not happy with the Treasury proposal that the merged Gurkha battalion should be disbanded twelve to eighteen months earlier than envisaged (so that a UK battalion can spend an extra twelve to eighteen months quartered in Hong Kong with consequent savings for the UK). MOD are still in the process of costing this proposal. However, we are on fairly strong ground arguing against it as it runs counter to many of the aims of the revised withdrawal plan (to be able to show LegCo that garrison expenditure is declining and to free UK forces for alternative deployment). The Secretary of State for Defence has confirmed that the extra costs will be absorbed within the defence budget.

bgrnd.cole.NAT

JEB

CONFIDENTIAL

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