A
G
Mr Burrows
PS/Mr Judd
Private Secretary
SECRET
cc Sir A Duff
Defence Dept
HK&GD /
PUSD Mr Hervey
Enter and PA
10
(not a problem that
would wise = a D.T.) ~ 30/1 Fika osili
RECE
3 1 JAN 1978
DESK U
INDEX
常
No 1. &
IN
Legal Advisers Mr Chamberlain
MEETING OF THE MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON TERRORISM ('
(TRM)
51
4Y
Taken
My submission of 26 January. We have now heard that the
Attorney General may raise the question of the legality under
international law of British forces intervening in a third
country to deal with a terrorist incident. The report by
officials is based on the assumption that this would be done with
the consent "or the acquiescence" of the local government; con-
cerned. It also envisgages that intervention could take place
where the local government was opposed "if in the last report,
and notwithstanding the many diplomatic and military problems,
such an operation were ordered by Ministers".
Line to take
2. In general it is unlawful to send troops on to the begin
tory of another State without its permission. To thin, the re
may be an exception in the case of so called "humanitarion
intervention", ie there may be a right to intervene to probeel,
the lives of one's nationals where the local State is mwili
SECRET
jor