TNAG-0757-FCO40-961-Strength-of-UK-armed-forces-stationed-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 11

;

SECRET

ANNEX A to

DP 17778 (C)(Preliminary Draft) (Continued)

associated states, and second, activities in support of IMG's foreign policy such as contributions towards United

Nations operations, assistance for the Commonwealth and

other allies, and support for other British political and

commercial interests. With the reduction of the Defence

interest outside NATO, only the minimum resources necessary

to meet this priority are to be provided."

As the Northern Ireland commitment falls within Priority One

(defence of the United Kingdom base) it is not considered in this

paper.

Priority Two Commitments

5. The Guidelines (2) identified two main types of Priority Two

Commitment:

Forces stationed outside the NATO area a

continuing commitment.

b.

Non-NATO operations on which forces are employed from

time to time.

Ability to carry out the latter without recourse to NATO-committed

forces is reduced by the continuing political commitment

to station forces outside the NATO area despite the military

judgement that the reduction of resources to achieve the critical

level was the maximum reduction consistent with maintaining

Note:

2 COS 10/75

A - 3

SECRET