CONFIDENTIAL
DEFENCE REVIEW: DRAFT FOR A POSSIBLE GOVERNMENT STATEMENT
1254
PIA
On 21 March we announced the start of the most
extensive and thorough review of our system of defence
ever undertaken by a British Government in peace time.
Its purpose was to produce a defence structure that would
be modern, effective, and within the limits of what Britain
could afford.
In the Labour Party Manifesto for the recent election
we repeated our pledge to reduce the proportion of the
nation's resources devoted to defence so that the burden
we bear will be brought into line with that carried by our
main European allies. We also reaffirmed our commitment
to achieve annual savings of several hundred million pounds
over a period.
The Defence Review has now made sufficient progress
for us to move to the stage of consultation with our allies
about the way in which the necessary restructuring of our
defence contribution should be put into effect.
NATO is the linch-pin of British security and will
remain the first charge on the resources available for
defence. We shall therefore discuss our plans in detail
with our NATO partners.
It is as much in British interests
as it is in those of the Alliance that the economies we are
obliged to make should be achieved in a way that will do
least damage to the common defence.
CONFIDENTIAL
/We hope
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