TNAG-0538-FCO40-633-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 69

DAVAN

Moditerranean

;.

8. Malta. Mr Mintoff reacted encouragingly to the letter

I sent him on 3 December and which he read out in the Malta

House of Representatives that day. It was received warmly

on both sides of the House. We cannot discount the possibility

of requests being made in a year or two for additional

assistance to Malta, but Mr Mintoff has said his aim remains

that Malta should be economically: self sufficient by 1979 whon

the Military Facilities Agreement expires

9.

Cyprus. Following the bilateral consultations with the

US in November, Dr Kissinger was told in a message from the

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs that

we would not in present circumstances proceed with our

preferred policy of withdrawing from the SBAS altogether,

although we would be embarking almost at once on a rundown

of our forces there. The work noeded to define to what

minimum level these forces can be reduced is continuing, and

meanwhile some significant reductions in the air forces thoro

has taken place.

1

10. The Shah is relaxed about our proposal to terminate the

declaration of forces to CENTO (viz aircraft in Malta and

Cyprus).

3

SECRET