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and no objections have been raised to the proposals.
Oman
8. The Sultan was appreciative of the proposal to make in
present circumstances no changes in the arrangements we have with
him. The US, to whom we disclosed our intention to withdraw
eventually from Masirah, strongly urged us to reconsider this. They have recently been told we think it right to continue to plan privately and without limiting our freedom of action by telling anyone else, on withdrawal when we judge the circumstances
will permit.
Mediterranean
9.
Malta. Mr Mintoff reacted encouragingly to the letter I
sent him on 3 December and which he read out in the Malta House
of Representatives that day. It was received warmly on both sides
of the House. We cannot discount the possibility of requests being
made in a year or two for additional assistance to Malta, but
Mr Mintoff has said his aim remains that Malta should be economically
self sufficient by 1979 when the Military Facilities Agreement
expires.
10.
Cyprus. Following the bilateral consultations with the US
in November, Dr Kissinger was told in a message from the Secretary
of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs that we would not
in present circumstances proceed with our preferred policy of
withdrawing from the SBAS altogether, although we would be
embarking almost at once on a run down of our forces there. Proposals and a timetable for an early reduction in force levels
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