TNAG-0539-FCO40-634-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 145

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

CHAPTER II

DEFENCE AND DETENTE

1. The Government is working and will continue to work for

real and lasting detente in Europe through the North Atlantic

Alliance, which we regard as an instrument of detente no less

than of defence. Progress in pursuit of detente, if it is not

to be illusory, must be based on a strong and united NATO

Alliance, across the Atlantic and within Europe, and on genuine

attempts to negotiate with the Warsaw Pact measures of arms

limitation and control to provide a more stable relationship

in Europe and undiminished security for both East and West. Progress

is difficult so long as the Warsaw Pact not only deploys forces of their

but continues to increase them in quantity and quality.

present size

THE THREAT AND THE MILITARY BALANCE

2. The Soviet Union has achieved rough strategic nuclear parity

with the United States (recently re-affirmed by the Strategic

Arms Limitation agreement in principle at Vladivostok, referred

to in paragraph 32 below) and is developing an improved armoury

of strategic nuclear weapons designed at least to maintain it.

New delivery systems include four new types of Intercontinental

Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), some of which are being developed to

carry Multiple Independently-targetable Re-entry Vehicles (MIRVs),

and work is proceeding on the super-hardening of ICBM silos.

Delta class submarines, equipped with new submarine-launched

ballistic missiles (SLBMs) with a range of over 4,000 miles,

greatly increase the geographical area from which a strategic

nuclear threat against NATO can be mounted.

II-1

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL