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3. Option A1: Total Withdrawal
Under this Option we would abandon all our non-NATO obligations.
The principal ones are listed in paragraph 2 above but there is a
number of others which are referred to in more detail under Option A2
below. This Option would involve an announcement of total withdrawal
from these obligations in the near future and as rapid implementation
as possible with the object of achieving the maximum savings. It
might be possible substantially to have completed this withdrawal by
the end of 1976. The implications of this course are discussed at
paragraphs 5 to 7 below.
4.
Option A2:
Partial Withdrawal
Under this Option our commitments outside NATO would be run down to
a low level, the overseas forces remaining at the end of the Defence
Review period being located mainly in Hong Kong, Cyprus and Gibraltar.
The detailed provisions under this Option are set out below, and their
implications are discussed in paragraphs 5 7.
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will be.
Hong Kong Is a Biel raffreer & vreet internal vidly commitment m
(i) We would aim to reduce the cost of our forces by a half,
at the same time accepting a much lower capability to reinforce
in a hurry, relying on the westabout route and civilian aircraft.
Attempts would be made to persuade Hong Kong to contribute more
as from 1976 to the cost of keeping this reduced military
presence. (The Treasury, on the other hand, believe that we
should propose to the Hong Kong Government that they should
bear the full cost of any UK forces they retain in the Colony,
and that the alternative to this is total withdrawal of the
Garrison, thus making it clear that in our view the vital
interests at stake are Hong Kong's rather than the UK's.
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