TNAG-0479-FCO40-544-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 141

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SECRET

147

Mr Stuart, HKIOD Mr Hickman, SWPD Mr Wright, MED Mr Goodison, SEED Mr Thomas, SWED

Mr Carless, LAD

Mr Cox, WIAD

Mr Preston, Caribbean Dept.

Mr Chalmers, SAD

Mr Ewans, EAD

Mr Squire, SEAD

cc Mr McLaren, WOD

Mr Westbrook

Mr Thomson o.r.

DEFENCE REVIEW:

CONSULTATIONS

1. In connection with my minute of 25 October, you might like to know that the record of the OPD meeting on 23 October at which the draft Cabinet paper was approved, contains the following passage:-

2.

"In discussion of the draft memorandum for Cabinet, the

point was made that the implications for our foreign policy of some of the reductions proposed in our non- NATO and Mediterranean commitments could be out of proportion to the size of the financial savings involved. We should therefore pay careful attention to American reactions to our proposals, particularly as regards Cyprus and Masirah, and be prepared if necessary to show some flexibility about timing and the method of achieving the financial savings we sought."

This reflects the points which in our brief we advised the Secretary of State to make about the wording of the Cabinet paper in relation to various non-NATO commitments. In general, I think the Secretary of State's marker gives us adequate support for ensuring that presentation of our various Defence Review proposals to the Americans and others leaves enough room for flexibility in their application to protect our political interests by taking account of any major considerations which the Americans or our allies may put forward. As far as possible within the terms of the Cabinet paper, you will no doubt wish to take account of this in drafting the speaking notes to which my earlier minute refer, especially where it is a question of adjusting the timing, reductions and withdrawals, as opposed to the reductions and with- drawals themselves.

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