SECRET
In return £14m rental is to be paid annually, of which £84m is contributed by other NATO countries (the US, Italy, West Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands).
Functional Costs (excluding rental,
RM Commado and
all aircraft):
1973/74
£14m
C) Cyprus Facilities in the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus are of value for surveillance and staging purposes. Forces based in Cyprus include an air defence capability, in particular a squadron of 12 Lightnings, and ground force elements to garrison the Areas. (The UK contribution to UNFICYP is discussed in paragraph 6).
Functional Costs:
TOTAL FUNCTIONAL COSTS FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN
(excluding CENTO)
1973/74
£52m
1973/4 £78m
Annual Average 1978/9-1983/4
£56m
Annual Average
1978/9-1983/4
£81m
7. Our Reinforcement and/or Assault Forces together with Associated
Sea and Air Lifts, their roles and commitments including the function
of responding to the unforeseen. This heading refers to the general requirement for flexibility in our forces outside NATO, including the need for flag-showing etc. It is impossible for obvious reasons, to quantify exactly expenditure in support of this requirement, or indeed to divide it readily into its NATO and non- NATO components. However, it is certain that expenditure under this head is very much larger than under any of the specific commitments described in the preceding paragraphs. There is additional discussion further on in the paper of this aspect, but it may be useful at this point to highlight two particular activities. A) United Nations Commitments The UK's policy for UN peacekeeping operations is to provide forces up to an airportable brigade group with appropriate logistic support, subject to other national military
commitments at the time. Since 1964, the UK has contributed to the
United Nations force in Cyprus a battalion, an armoured reconnaissance squadron, Army and RAF helicopter forces and command communications and logistic support. The UK also provides a ship for the Beira Patrol in support of UN policy towards Rhodesia. Most recently, the UK has provided air transport and logistic support for the
eployment of the UN Emergency Forces from Cyprus to Egypt.
SECRET
6
/The