TOP SECRET
CINCFE.1511/6130/18
UK EYES ONLY
To find out in terms of time and savings, whether it would be possible by April 1968 to reduce the strength of the Services in Far East Command by a minimum of 3,000 more than is envisaged under ourrent plans.
b. Assuming that Force levels in Far East Commend can be reduced by 50, by mid-1970s, to consider what would be the best options for a mixture of Forces at that time.
To obtain an idea of the factors affecting withdrawals in order to minimise the offoot on the economics of Singapore and Halaysia and the scourity of those two countries.
3. He emphasised that it was not intended to make decisions but moroly to obtain facts and ideas during his visit. He also said that he wished to discuss arrangements for following up the visit, og whether it would be advisable to send out a team from the Ministry of Defence or whether representatives from For East Command should visit the Ministry of Defonoc to work out the detailed plans for the rundown. Alternatively consultation oould be by tologram.
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The Secretary of State stressed the urgency attached to the rundown plan. The Cabinet wished to make a statement about the end of July on Government cuts in military and civil cxpenditure. It was essential that the broad size, shape and location of forces be made known at the same time: tho intention was that the prosent exercise should be the last major review of Defence policy in the life of the present Parliament. To allow time for our allies to be consulted it would be necessary to finalise plans by early June.
He realised that this would present a superhuman task. However, in the interests of the morale of the Forces, the Government vero determined to announce the size, shape and role of the Forocs (world-wide) simultaneously with the budgetary cuts. He regrotted the need for hasty planning but it vas unavoidable. Ho folt, too, that it would be as well for all concerned to adjust themselves to the idea of a rundown in Force levels early on so that reductions could be made right from the beginning in an orderly manner and so avoid hosty decisions later on in the rundown programme.
Presentation
5. The meeting was then show two Vu-foils which set out the strength of the Forces in Far East Command as at 1st April 1967 with future forecast and plamed reductions. These figures at Annox A vere explained by Lieutenant Colonel J. Janes, Royal Harinos, (Defence Administrative Planning Staff,` Far Best) whose romarks were further amplified by the Commander-in-Chief.
Factors Affecting any Futuro Rundown of British Forces in the Far East
6.
Statements on those factors were made by:-
The FLAT COLLANDER said the size of the present floot is tailored to its commitments those are:-
(1)
G
principally in the
Our international responsibilities support of SEATO to which we had declared a carrier group with csoorts and supporting ships, an amphibious group with its commandos onbarked and supporting escorts and supply ships, and also submarine and CH forces. In addition ve also had to maintain two escorts for the Commonwealth Strategic Reserve for the defence of ialaysia and Singapore and one escort in support of the United Nations Forces in Korca. This latter also noted as the Hong Kong Guardship.
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/(2)
Our