commit ourselves to any specific changes at this stage. It is virtually agreed that Armilla will reduce from
three to two ships. But the future of the West Indies
Guard Ship is more contentious. Apart from its relevance to Belize, the WIGS fulfils a broad range of security
functions in the area which underping our efforts to provide good government in the Caribbean DTS; and it is valued highly by the US as an example of burden sharing
on the Western side of the Atlantic. While there will be
strong pressure to reduce the presence of the WIGS, perhaps to a part-time basis, we should not at this stage
imply that we could accept such a change.
PJ Goulden