TNAG-0538-FCO40-633-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 60

DRAFT OPD PAPER

CONFIDENTIAL.

OPD (75)

THE DEFENCE REVIEW - CONSULTATIONS WITH ALLIES

Kemorandum by the Secretary of State for Defence

Introduction

Following my statement in Parliament on 3rd December 1974

on the Government's provisional conclusions on the Defence Review,

we have conducted full consultations with our Allies. These

consultations will continue, especially within NATO, but we are

now in a position to take definitive decisions on most of the major

Defence Review issues.

Non-NATO consultations

2. The results so far of the discussions we have had with our

non-NATO associates about the withdrawals proposed under the Defence

Review are summarised at Annex A. In general, the reductions we

propose have been accepted with resignation, subject only to some

minor changes, which are in some cases still under discussion, and

with which it is not necessary for me to trouble the Committee

collectively.

3. There are, however, three significant outstanding problems on

which it will not be possible to record definitive decisions in the

Defence White Paper:

8.

Discussions with the Hong Kong Government on the basis of

the Committee's previous decisions have not yet yielded

a final result. The problem is being considered by the

Committee separately (OPD(75))

CONFIDENTAL,

;

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