SECRET
UK EYES ONLY
ANNEX A to DP 29/70(Revised Final) (Continued)
A FIVE POWER SYSTEM
7.
From a political vicwpoint a five power Command system might be attractive becuase it would avoid any appearance of a white man's club and would provide clear evidence of a change from the prosent UK dominated military structure.
8. National representation in such a system could justifiably be related to force levels contributed; here the Malaysians would predominate and a propendorant Malaysian ropresentati n in a fivo If however the gower headquarters would clearly be undesirable. Malaysian contributin was limited, say to an approximato balance with the ANRUK force levels, then the five power force would become a separate entity and the furces of both Malaysia and Singapore would have a split command system. This they would probably find unisatisractory for day to day working and undesirable in its long term effects on thoir forces.
9. A completely unified five power command system could introduce
It problems over the commitment of forces t.: internal security. would be difficult to ensure the exclusion of UK national forces from any 13 commitment if a unified command system also controlled those local forces which would be involved in IS duties, partic- ularly in Malaysia. In a deteriorating situation the need for the Commander to commit furcus without delay could well clash with the need for national decisions on commitment of forces;
thus, under a five petor command cystem, we see an extra risk of the involvement of UK forces in IS operations.
10.
Furthermore there might in any case be complications if UK land forces have no BATO commitment (3) whon ANZ land forces will continue to have then. This problem would become infinitely more complicated if a five power comand system wore established because of Malaysia and Singapore objections to any overt connection with
SZATO.
Noto:
3. cns 65/70
£3
SECRET UK EYES ONLY