Reference.
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SECRET
Mr Stuart, HKIOD (Separate copies)
Mr Hickman, SWPD
Mr Wright, MED
Mr Goodison, SEED
Mr Thomas, SWED
Mr Carless, Latin America Dept
Mr Cox, WIAD
Mr Preston, Caribbean Dept
Mr Chalmers, SAD
Mr Ewens, EAD
Mr Squire, SEAD
cc.
Mr Thomson
Mr Cable
Mr Jackson
Mr McLaren
Mr Westbrook
DEFENCE REVIEW
NON-NATO COMMITMENTS
1. Mr Jackson and I have discussed with Mr Hudson the consultation brief for the talks with the US on non-NATO commitments which were circulated with Mr Jackson's minute of 7 October. The position on each is as follows:
(a) Malta
The paragraph as redrafted by Mr Thomas was accepted by the Ministry of Defence.
(b) Gan
The Ministry of Defence propose to include the last two sentences of the first paragraph ("We may also need
is being considered") in the covering note to the brief which still has to be drafted and circulated.
(c) The Gulf
The Ministry of Defence accepted Mr Wright's redraft, but wanted to reinsert the sentence "The Omani Government pays their full cost, and there would be no economies to the UK in its discontinuing this arrangement" and the phrase "mainly at our own expense" in the second paragraph. They thought it wise to make this quite clear.
(a) Dependent Territories
Accepted as drafted.
(e) Hong Kong
Mr Stuart's redraft was accepted. The Ministry of Defence however wish to reinsert the sentence "it is the relinquishment of this capability coupled with our withdrawal from Singapore which will make the airfields and our logistic supply route Masirah and Gan redundant.
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