TNAG-0476-FCO40-541-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 213

Mr Thomson

cc: Mr Preston

Mr Foster

Mr Ewans

Mr Bullard

Mr Evans Mr Champion Mr Stuart✓ Mr Carless Mr Wright Mr Davies

Mr Nicholas Mr Orchard

Mr Squire Mr Hickman

Mr Goodison

Mr Cox

Mr Tickell

See minute in reply

Pla

A

DEFENCE REVIEW

1. In advance of the meeting you are holding tomorrow you may like to have the following suggestion for the outline of the paper which the FCO have agreed to produce on the political implications of withdrawing our forces from overseas stations outside the European theatre. I think it would be a good idea to make this as short and structured as possible and suggest that each of the first three areas in Para 3d of the guidelines might be dealt with under the following headings :-

(a) brief statement of the roles of our forces and of

their relationship to treaties, agreements, political commitments and international organisations in the

area;

(b) likely practical repercussions of withdrawing these

!

forces on :

i) strictly British interests;

ii) British ability to fulfil the commitments listed

under (a);

iii) the continuing viability of any multilateral

arrangements in the area to which our forces were relevant;

iv) the interests of other countries concerned;

(c) the pros and cons of accompanying the withdrawal of our

forces by disengagement from our commitments;

(a)

the likely reaction of other countries concerned to :

i) withdrawal of our forces,

ii) disengagement from our commitments;

CONFIDENTIAL

/(e)

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