Reference....
'
Also we should have to persuade the FCO to foot whatever extra bill there would be, and the Treasury to agree (which I do not think they would). I do not myself therefore regard this possibility as a starter. If you, think that it is worth pursuing, it would, of course, be necessary to con- sult CBFNE on the question of practicability. Most of the families of any accompanied force in Cyprus (whether UNFICYP or not) live in the Republic. If in addition the husbands work in the Republic (as they would in UNFICYP) one battalion would be almost wholly in the Republic and one (the non- UNFICYP one) partly in the Republic. Also the High Commissioner has pointed out that the British battalion in UNFICYP is deployed in small outposts from South-West of Larnaca to the North-West coast of Cyprus. Assuming accommodation could be found, the battalion's wives would have to reside in Famagusta or Larnaca and would be "accompanying" their husbands only in the sense that they were in the same country and saw them from time to time.
Conclusion
7.
In short, I am afraid that we are bound to advise great caution in drawing on forces in Malta and Cyprus for Northern Ireland. It could be done, but the difficulties in the way of it are pretty considerable.
18th November, 1969
Mickhan
(J.M. Gibbon) Head of DS11.
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL