TNAG-0055-FCO40-91-Defence-review-1977 — Page 69

SECRET

F.O. AND C.0. TELEGRAM GUIDANCE NO. 91

sach

12-

3. IF ASKED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE GURKHAS, YOU SHOULD SAY THAT THERE ARE NOW 14,500 OF THEM. AS MR HEALEY ANNOUNCED ON 7 DECEMBER, THEY WILL BE RUN DOWN TO 10,000 OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. ALTHOUGH NO DECISION HAS BEEN TAKEN, CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES MAY, OF COURSE, AS MR HEALEY SUGGESTED IN HIS ANNOUNCEMENT, MAKE IT NECESSARY AT SOME FUTURE DATE TO REDUCE THE GURKHAS BELOW THAT STRENGTH.

4. IF ASKED ABOUT THE EFFECT OF REDUCTIONS ON OUR SEATO OR OTHER COMMITMENTS IN THE AREA, YOU SHOULD SAY THAT, AS NO DECISIONS HAVE YET BEEN TAKEN, THIS IS NATURALLY SOMETHING ON WHICH YOU CANNOT COMMENT. YOU MAY THEN QUOTE FROM THE LAST SENTENCE OF GUIDANCE NUMBER 82.

SOSFA/CROSEC

SENT 0420Z 29 APRIL, 1967

BY TELEGRAPH:

ANKARA BONN

COPENHAGEN

THE HAGUE

OSLO

PARIS

ROME

DJAKARTA

HONG KONG (POL.AD.)

MANILA

PEKING

PHNOM PENH

RANGOON

SAIGON

OTTAWA CANBERRA WELLINGTON

NEW DELHI RAWALPINDI

COLOMBO

KUALA LUMPUR

SINGAPORE

TOKYO

SINGAPORE (POL.AD.) VIENTIANE

[ALL PRIORITY]

U.K.MIS NEW YORK SEOUL

WASHINGTON

BANGKOK

DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION

F.O. D.D. & P.U.S.D.

C.O.

S.E.A.D.

F.E.D.

WESTERN DEPT

NEWS DEPT

W.O.C.D.

J.I.P.G.D.

DEFENCE DEPT

F.E. & P.D.

NEWS DEPT

SECRET

SENT TO HONG KONG AS COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (D.T.D.)

TELEGRAM NO.

816.