SECRET UK EYES A
c.
Alternative military solutions to retain a presence
in Cyprus which might be cheaper include:-
(i) To give up the Eastern SBA and some retained
sites and to concentrate in the Western SBA. This
would entail the capital cost of moving the
intelligence facilities if their present site
could not be retained on a new basis.
(ii) To give up the Eastern SBA, some retained
sites and most of the Western SBA, concentrating
in the Akrotiri area.
Such solutions would not, however, meet the FCO
criteria of avoiding internal conflict between Greek
and Turkish Cypriots.
a.
UNFICYP.
The FCO suggest that by 1975 the present
UNFICYP might be reduced to an observer force living
off the land. The UK night contribute to this force.
Such a concept needs to be fully examined.
While the
extra costs of any UK contribution would be met
by the FCO, basic costs would be met from Defence votes.
13.
The
Malta. The FCO consider that forces must be maintained
on the island until the expiry of the Agreement in 1979. numbers of locally employed civilians (IEC) up to 1977 are already determined by agreement. Forecast levels for United Kingdom and locally enlisted personnel (LEP) up to 1977 have
10 -
SECRET UK EYES A