TNAG-0757-FCO40-961-Strength-of-UK-armed-forces-stationed-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 13

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ANNEX A to

DP 17/78 (C)(Preliminary Draft) (Continued

the NATO Àrea are at Appendix 2. To follow at Draft Stage_7

Employment of NATO-Commited Forces on Non NATO Tasks

7.

Although the 1974 Defence Review did not discount the UK

conducting operations in extreme circumstances outside NATO

at any level, the Guidelines assumed that it would become

increasingly unlikely that MG would wish to conduct other

than minor overseas operations. The Guidelines therefore

identified a continuing requirement to plan for the deployment

of NATO earmarked and other stationed forces on "minor" overseas

operations such as:

Reinforcement of dependent territories (whether

or not there is a British Garrison).

b.

The protection of British property, notably shipping

on the high seas.

c.

d.

UN peacekeeping tasks.

Evacuation of Fritish nationals.

3.

The extent of such operations would depend on the degree

to which IING was prepared to employ NATO committed forces in

this way and the availability and capacity of sea and air

transport.

The guidelines envisaged a generally limited scale of oper- ations; as an example, forces to be made available for UN

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