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POLITICO-MILITARY AND ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF FAR EAST FORCE REDUCTIONS
The Committee had before them a note by the Secretaries (OPDO(67) 6) to which was attached a report by the Defence Review Working Party on the implications of the new Far East policy and a draft cover note for the
submission of the report to Ministers.
THE CHAIRMAN said that the Defence and Oversea Policy Committee
would consider the report on 14th April in advance of the visit by the Foreign Secretary to Washington for the South East Asia Treaty Organisation
Ministerial meeting on 18th-20th April, on the occasion of which it was suggested that he should open consultations on a bilateral basis with United States, Australia and New Zealand Ministers about our proposed force
reductions in the Far East. On his recent visit to Washington for the
meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Nuclear Planning Group,
the Defence Secretary had not mentioned the proposed reductions to the
United States Secretary of Defense, Mr. McNamara.
In discussion it was agreed that the draft cover note should be
submitted to Ministers as the Committee's own covering note to the report
by the Defence Review Working Party. Some amendments to the cover note,
and also to the report, were agreed and the following main points were
made
Military Presence in Australia
(a) The size and purpose of the proposed small military presence in
Australia were not clear. The current ideas of the Ministry of Defence
envisaged no land forces other than a small camp staff to administer the
units which might visit Australia for training. Royal Air Force personnel
permanently stationed in Australia might be limited to a small number of
ground staff. If the naval presence were limited to a frigate squadron, few facilities would be required, although some provision for emergency
dockyard facilities would be needed. It was for decision whether an
amphibious force should be based on Australia; this might require some- what more extensive facilities, but it was hoped that these would be
provided by the Australians.
(b)
The purpose of a military presence in Australia would be largely
political, as a token of our intention to come to the aid of Australia
and New Zealand in an emergency, just as the Australians and New Zealanders
had come to our aid in two world wars. No consideration had yet been given
to the question of whether any written agreement or understanding should be reached with the Australians about the purpose and uses of any forces based there; it appeared likely that some understanding would be necessary but
no formal Agreement.
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