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MINISTRY OF DEFENCE WHITEHALL LONDON SW1A 2HB
TELEPHONE 01-930 7022
stay; and, in spite of considerable party pressure, they are committed to maintaining their logistic support at a level which should just be adequate for the New Zealanders and ourselves. The next step will be an ANZUK planning meeting in Canberra later this month to set in hand the task of working out the detailed implications of the Australian withdrawals. Although I emphasised to the Australians that we had no manpower to spare, I do not rule out the possibility of our having to contribute a small number of extra men. I shall keep my colleagues informed of further developments.
Malaysia and Singapore
5. In Kuala Lumpur I found both Tun Razak and Tun Ismail more relaxed than on previous occasions. They find no difficulty in reconciling the long-term ASEAN concept of neutralisation with support for the Five Power Defence Arrangements, and both of them assured me that there were no points in dispute between our countries. They judge that their relations with Singapore are better, and I found an air of confidence and prosperity in Kuala Lumpur, although the racial problem remains and the anti-terrorist task will be a long haul.
6.
In Singapore, I had talks with Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and Dr. Goh, mainly on the Five Power Arrangements. With his usual suspicion of the Australians, Lee fears that Mr. Whitlam may pull out completely in the end. He also speculated about what could happen if a Labour Government came to power in Britain. I did my best to reassure him. He is anxious to get Singapore hands on the facilities which will be vacated as a result of the Australian withdrawal. He assured me that he had no desire to squeeze us; and I emphasised that, should he do so, it would have an undesirable political effect in this country. But I think that, once the revised ANZUK requirements are clearer, we shall have to do what we can to satisfy the edge of the Singapore appetite.
7..
It is Singapore's concern about the future which lies behind Goh's proposal that, in order to guard against a possible change of regime in Malaysia or Indonesia, Singapore should equip itself
He with some 70 Centurion tanks thrown up by the Canadians. asked for our assistance on this, and I pointed out that the proposal (which could not be kept secret) would not help to foster confidence in relations between Singapore and Malaysia. undertook to report the matter to you, and I shall be circulating a separate note shortly in consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary.
But I
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18.