SECRET
briefing the Prime Minister that the arrangements for non-NATO consultations are primarily a matter for the Secretary
of State to work out, in conjunction with the Defence Secretary, as necessary, and
that the Committee should not need to
discuss them.
agree to this.
The Secretary of State can
The Cabinet Office will also be suggesting that non-NATO consultations should as far as possible be completed this side of Christmas, in case there is Parliamentar} pressure for the Government to make it
clear what is being done outside NATO before
the outcome of the Defence Review is
finally announced in February. The Secretary of State could agree to this, though we will fish to make it clear that the timetable/was also to some extent
depend on other Governments' commitments.
The Secretary of State should however add that timing of consultations will need
to be flexible in order to take account of any special local factors. For example:-
(a) Oman The Sultan of Oman will
be visiting the UK at the end of
October. He will be seeing the
Prime Minister and will need to
say something to him about our plans for Oman (see also para. ... below).
(b) Hong Kong (para 5 (f) of the draft Cabinet paper and para.
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/12(a)
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*196 D073528 200M 2/74 Cr.P.C. 839/3
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