because of a public statement or a leak) that the Cabinet had
already endorsed Defence Review conclusions. He would undoubtedly
be expected to enlarge on the conclusions, whereas we wish to
consult the US and German Governments first. It would be desirable
therefore for the decision to be taken not on 7 November but as
soon as possible thereafter say on 12 November. A decision on this date would be compatible with concluding the consultations and announcing the result of the Defence Review in a February White Paper.
7.
1
Detailed plans for non-NATO consultations depend on the answers to a number of questions posed in another paper which the Sub- Committee will be considering, but there are two reasons why this process will need to be synchronised with the formal NATO
consultation:
a. the discussions with the US could conceivably alter
b.
the basis of the proposals we put to the non-NATO countries concerned;
in some cases, eg. Malta, the links between NATO
and certain non-NATO countries are such as to compel
us to release details of our proposals simultaneously
if any negotiations are not to be stultified.
8. The conclusion at 2e. is advanced in the belief that the US
and German defence ministers would be unlikely to concede anything to the UK viewpoint in advance of an examination by their officials of the totality of our proposals. In the case of our consultations with the US and Germany the initial approach might be by a MOD/PG0/ Treasury team at Deputy Secretary level. For NATO a military presentation would be needed, while for non-NATO consultations
a preliminary outline of our intentions could be conveyed by letter..
9.
Among our non-NATO commitments there is an implicit under- taking to consult at ministerial level where our partners in the Five Power Defence Arrangements are concerned, but for the others the level of consultation will depend on the significance of the change proposed, and the reaction of the Government concerned to the initial written communication.
On this basis the programme
of consultation so far as it can be foreseen at present would assume something like the following form:
SECRET
/7-8 Nov
Page 45Page 46