surgen
;
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vi.
shock to NATO cohesion and to our standing
in the Alliance by taking a lead in promoting
a closer-knit Alliance structure through such
means as more integration of logistics,
rationalisation to avoid overlapping and high
costs and some specialisation in national tasks.
But such steps as these will take a considerable
time to produce dividends. Nevertheless by such
measures, with very careful presentation, with
flexibility over timing and provided that any
BAOR cuts are made in the BFR context we think
the cohesion of NATO would survive the shock
though our standing in it will be reduced.
The FR G
In their latest Defence White Paper, the Germans
have estimated that they have recently increased
their defence effort in terms of GNP percentage
points, and they have urged on the Secretary of
State for Defence the need not only for full
consultation about UK plans but also for a UK
defence effort that is both militarily and politi-
cally appropriate. They would look very critically
at reductions of the order in Option C and would
expect us to take good account of their representa-
tions.
They have said that they would not take up
any of our military burdens, and would at best only
contribute a very little extra to the financial
costs of our defence effort.
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