SECRET
D
c) The questions of the continued deployment to
Antarctica of the ice patrol ship, and of British
activities there, are not primarily political.
THE MEDITERRANEAN
GIBRALTAR
77. Because of Gibraltar's geographical position a British military presence there is of some importance in the NATO con- text, but from the point. of view of British as distinct from NATO interests the primary function of the small garrison there (one major unit, backed by a contingency reinforcement plan) is to provide a deterrent sufficient to make it impossible for Spain to over-run the Colony without launching a major military opera- tion. Spain has publicly renounced the use of force in pursuing her claim to Gibraltar, but if the garrison were removed the temp- tation to walk in would be very much greater. For so long there- fore as it remains HMG's policy not to allow Gibraltar to revert to Spain against the wishes of the people, and for so long as the majority of Gibraltarians remain opposed to this, it will be only prudent to retain a garrison there; the minimum required to consti- tute a "symbolic deterrent" is a matter of subjective judgement; but the present garrison is already so small that the financial saving would be slight even if it were significantly reduced. 78. Any reduction in the British defence presence in Gibraltar would require very careful consultation with the Gibraltarians, who are always apt to imagine that HMG may be contemplating a surrender to Spain. In addition, the economy of Gibraltar is heavily dependent on expenditure there by UK Departments (MOD and DOE) and by the British Forces stationed there. Over half the GNP comes from this source. Any substantial decrease in the level of forces in Gibraltar or of British defence expenditure there, (eg on the dockyard) would have serious financial consequences for Gibraltar itself and might well necessitate a budgetary grant-in-
aid from Aid Funds.
26
SECRET
/79.