****5) Dd145173 400m 5/73 G.7.3.Lad. Op.353
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN.
BECNET
Congressional business has been completed. It
делагий 11stri
might be linked with statement en arms limitation
in the Indian Ocean arca.
19. We aim to witheraw from South East Asie,
including Brunei, but we envisare the maintenence
of our consultative commitment under the Five Lover
agreements, and do not exclude the possibility of
maintaining a small residual presence in Singapore.
As far as long kong is concerned, we will continue
Arvide to in the a
It will be smaller in
TATTLE
Farrison arena
size. The long kong Government will be asked to
meet a very much larger part of the cost. We shall
withdra our modest forces from Gan and Hauritius.
20.
Apart from Hong long, there are certain other
"colonial" responsibilities from which it would be
politically impossible for us now to disenrage.
So long as the Spanish Government maintains its
presence in Gibraltar we must maintain a
there.
Similarly we must continue to protect the
defense and security of the Fall land Islands and
Telize so long as they are subject to territorio]
claims from neighbouring states. But our aim in oll
these cases will be by diplomatic means to resolve
10ca2
permit these disputes in order to prorete the withdrawal of
our forces as soon as practicable.
21. In the Lediterranean we propose not to Teneu
the der nce agreement wil alta when 't eviren in
1979, and would hope to run down our forces gradually
over the remaining five years. The prime concern
over the last few years has been its enirl to Bovit;
forces. If some future arrangement between balo and
Mintoff should be necessary to ensure such
1 KORMT
/ontinued