TNAG-0477-FCO40-542-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 55

SECRET

established the minimum garrison necessary we must try to persuade the Hong Kong Government to pay as much of the cost as possible. OPD concluded that the Hong Kong Government should be pressed to meet the total cost of forces stationed there. You may wish to comment that it is unrealistic to suppose that they will in fact be so persuaded.

(0) Cyrus

The Steering Committee or its sub-committee may be asked to provide:

(i) A description of the intelligence facilities

at present in Cyprus;

(ii) An order of priority for them;

(iii) A recommendation as to which could be dropped

with the loast damage; and

(iv) An assessment of the forces required

to protect the intelligence gathering

facilities; and

(a)

(0)

to provide cover for them.

(v)

Tine to Take

A study of the world-wide US/UK intelligence relationship.

The JIC has produced many studies on the intelligence facilities

in Cyprus. It is for consideration which future studies should be done by the Sub-Committee and which by the JIC (a copy of the latest JIC Report is attached).

(c) Critical Level

16

Ministers agreed at the OPD meeting that the Critical Level could be accepted as a basis for planning;

would however be necessary to take account of the viows

of our Allies, and particularly the United States, on the relative importance of the various elements in our

contribution: to assist in the process of consultation

a number of models of alternative force mixes should be

SECRET

/designed