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CONFIDENTIAL
priority of defence policy, placed more emphasis on a willingness
to counter threats to stability throughout the world. So when
the Government came into office in March 1974 it inherited a defence
programme of world-wide political and military commitments, and
military forces stretched to meet those comitments.
3. Within NATO Britain was the only European member to contribute
to all the major areas of the Alliance: to the Central Region in
Europe, to the Eastern Atlantic and Channel Command areas, to the
defence of the United Kingdom and its immediate approaches, to the
Mediterranean, and to the Alliance's strategic and tactical nuclear
deterrent. We were also contributing specialist reinforcement
forces available for deployment to the Central Region and to the
northern and southern flanks.
4.
Outside NATO Britain was maintaining forces in various parts
of the world: in dependent territories, including those where the
presence of British forces was necessary: Hong Kong, Gibraltar.
the Falkland Islands and Belize; in Cyprus; in the Far East as a
contribution to the Five Power Defence Arrangements; and in a
number of other places, including Brunei, Mauritius, Gan, Oman,
and the Caribbean. These commitments imposed upon Britain an extra
burden which none of her European Allies and trading competitors
was bearing.
5.
Forward plans were designed broadly to maintain the existing
size and structure of the forces to provide the capabilities to
meet these commitments. The cost of these forces was bound to
increase progressively over time to keep pace with the constant
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CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL