AUS(GS)
Copy to:
AUS(D Staff)
DMO
DASD
Head of DS6
Head of DS7
DS11/5/2/6
Reference. DS44f3ff2
33. 3
Principu! 1980 2.4
1920 1
W
ME
166961
JV 1960
loprid / Moz.
Cope
Head of CE3(N) (with copy of reference) Head of S4(Air)
#1
UK Force Levels in Malta and Cyprus
We have consulted the FCO about the question raised in your minute S/2143/AUS(GS) of 31st October and they in turn have taken soundings of the High Commissioners in Valletta and Nicosia. The High Commissioners did not consult the local service authorities, but as you asked for advice only on political factors I do not think that matters, though it is a point to be borne in mind.
Malta
2.
From the Maltese point of view the importance of our battalions in Malta is economic (in terms of local employment and spending power of British families) rather than military (though they may perhaps feel a bit exposed militarily when the second battalion is withdrawn and there are no British troops left in Malta at all). You may remember that there was a considerable furore in Malta when we announced our accelerated rundown a couple of years ago, without con- sulting them. The presen rate of rundown is governed by the "agreement to differ" of 1967 that resulted from dis-
You will cussions between the two Governments thereafter. also know that we are at present in dispute with the Malta Government about the division as between grant and loan of the aid moneys that we are required to give to Malta in the
In these second five years of the Finance Agreement. circumstances any departure frontundown programme is likely to provoke recrimination. The strength of the Maltese reaction would (unless they in any case chose for political ' purposes to make capital out of our unreliability) depend largely on how much earlier the battalion was to be with- drawn than at present planned, in particular on the extent to which the early withdrawal affected the rundown of LECs (an also possibly of LEPs, since October 1970 is also the month · in which our responsibility for the RMA, RE (Malta) and 234 Signal Squadron ceases, and the Maltese might press us for The 1967 rundown is changes on that aspect of the plan).
If we were able to expressed in terms of job losses. maintain the programme by administrative adjustments between
1
CONFIDENTIAL
/the