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f.
Publication of the Defence White Paper could not be delayed beyond
mid-March.
•
Dofence Budget figures would need to be included in the Public Expendituro White Paper to be published in December.
3. Parlianontary Statement.
It was agreed that for domestic reasons a Parliamentary statement would be required before the presentation of our proposals to NATO. But for the reasons in 2d. above the staterient should be made shortly before our formal presentation to NATO, While the statement would need to indicate a firm decision to reduce the percentage of GNP devoted to defonce to 4 per cent over the next decade it should not suggest that our proposals wero so firm that NATO consultation would be meaningless.
4.
Action. It was agreed that the FCO would draw up detailed proposals for the form and timing of consultation in the light of the points agreed and in consultation with the MOD; and that the MOD would redraft the Parliamentary statoment in consultation with the Troasury and the FCO.
NON-NATO ASPECTS
5. In discussion of tho content of the briofs on our proposals for the Moditerranean and non-NATO area the following points were agreed
રી. Malta. The ain should be to keep to the spirit and letter of the Agroonent: io completo withdrawal by April 1979 proceded by a gradual rundown. Forocast force level figures had already boon given to
Mr Mintoff for the period up to April 1977 and we should not sook to ruke roductions before that dato.
Cyprus. The brief for consultations with the USA should be written
on the basis that our aim was total withdrawal but that the timing and modality would dopond on the political situation in Cyprus: but as an intorin measure we intended to reduce our presence to the minimum required to continue our exisitng intelligence activity on the basis of retaining both SBA's (the '£22 million solution').
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