HEADS OF DEPARTMENT
AID FRAMEWORK 1972/73
RESTRICTED
1.
You are aware that we face great difficulties during 1972/73 in accommodating all likely calls within the agreed aid programme. Ministers are discussing this but we cannot anticipate that they will reach conclusions for perhaps another 4 weeks.
2. In order to maintain the maximum room for manoeuvre I am afraid that I must ask you not to enter into any new commitments during that period. These include new loan agreements, new promises of aid, new projects and new consultancies.
M G Smith
29 March 1972
c.c. All Under Secretaries
Sir M Walker
Mr Porter
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