TNAG-0299-FCO40-335-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-generalized-tariffs-preferences--1971 — Page 35

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He thought the prospects for an agreement over Berlin

were now better. The Russians might realise that

if they wanted progress over important matters they

must deal with Berlin first.

The Russians had advanced in an important way

into the Mediterranean. They now had 40 naval vessel:

including 10 submarines and they had air bases

in Egypt.

They had in fact opened up another major

front. If the Canal were rapened there would be

They

a bigger Russian presence in the Indian Ocean.

were seeking to gain footholds wherever they could,

as seen by their approaches to Mauritius. The increase

Russian presence made the position of the American

6th Fleet difficult..

Mr Aichi enquired about the British views on

relations with East Germany. Sir AlecDouglas-Home

thought that no country was keen to recognise East

Germany very soon. It was however becoming more

The reason why the

difficult to prevent recognition. [The-

Allies were not keen to move ahead quickly with

mutual and balanced force reductions was the probabil

that the Russians might bring-East-Germany--into-this.)

which

The resulting-recognition of East-Germany might cause

Renziam

a nettlvarat

then to lose interest in Berlin. There might come

a day when there would be two Germanies in the United.

Nations, but this would not come about for some time.

Mr Aichi wondered whether Chancellor Brandt's

policies towards the Soviet Union were gaining suppor

in West Germany. SirAlec Douglas-Home thought that

on the whole Brandt's Ostøpolitik, as far as it had

so far gone, was accepted by the Parliamentary Opposition, but that opinion was hardening against

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