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and there are no issues which currently require a further such
meeting. If the UK were to decide to procure the A129 to meet
its Light Attack helicopter requirement, this would provide a
suitable occasion for a visit by Minister (DP).
4. In relation to the smaller NATO countries, we recommended
in December 1983 that the Secretary of State should invite the
Dutch Defence Minister to visit the UK; in the end this proved
impossible. Though recent contacts between Minister (DP) and his
Dutch counterpart are likely to continue during the coming year
in connection with collaborative projects and the possible sale
of Vertical Launched Sea Wolf, both we and the FCO believe that
higher level contact would be valuable in reinforcing the Dutch
Government in its robust stance on INF. An outward visit by
the Secretary of State is therefore proposed. The Secretary of
State has also recently accepted an invitation to return his
Danish opposite number's 1984 visit to the UK, some time later
this year.
5. With a Spanish decision on continued NATO membership
expected during the coming year, Anglo-Spanish Ministerial con-
tacts in 1985 will assume a special importance.
The planned
inward visit by the Spanish Defence Minister in February will
provide an ideal opportunity for the Secretary of State to convey
the UK's view on this issue. A sales related outward visit by
Minister (DP) may also take place in April.
6.
Though there have neen some recent problems in our relations
with Norway, both the Secretary of State and Minister (AF) (twice)
have visited the country during the last year, and S of S has
recently hosted a successful visit by his Norwegian counterpart,
Mr Sjaastad. Current plans for Minister (AF)'s opposite number
to vist the UK this month, and for a further visit by Mr Stanley
B
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