CONFIDENTIAL
Russians paid scant attention to technical utility or political/constitutional acceptability. Indeed several of the sites were on territories no longer under British sovereignty. They have made clear that their requirement for 10 NSS in United Kingdom territory is purely political and have indicated that they are prepared to be flexible about locations. If the UK eventually decides to accept NSS on dependent territories, the Russians thus may not insist on Belize, the Falkland Islands or other politically sensitive sites, provided that we can propose substitutes.
6.
HKGD, SAMD and M & CD concur.
20 April 1979
CC:
PS/PUS
Sir A Parsons
Mr Edmonds
HKG D
I & CD
SAMD
Challats
C LG Mallaby
Arms Control and Disarmament
Department
CONFIDENTIAL
I