TNAG-0757-FCO40-961-Strength-of-UK-armed-forces-stationed-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 41

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ANNEX A to

DP 17778(C)(Preliminary Draft)

(Continued)

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND/OR REORGANISATION TO PERMIT PRIORITY

TWO COMMITMENTS TO BE UNDERTAKEN WITHOUT ADVERSE EFFECT ON THE

UK CONTRIBUTION TO NATO

59.

Certain commitments cannot be undertaken without adverse

effect on NATO, and neither additional resources nor re-organisation

could ameliorate the situation.

Deploying protection forces for

an evacuation, reinforcing a Non-NATO garrison or deploying a

battalion group for a peacekeeping task require virtually the

entire resources of the ATF. While all the aircraft are unlikely

to be required for longer than a period measured in days rather

than weeks, the effects on NATO could be significant if the

operation were to take place when the ATF would otherwise have

been involved in a major exercise. Other commitments may be

susceptible to acceptance with reduced potential damage to the

UK contribution to NATO either through the provision of additional

resources or by a measure of re-organisation. To make no

adjustment, but to maintain the present arrangements without

additional resources would mean that the status quo could be

sustained, but the anticipated increase in commitments could not

be matched. Even to maintain the status quo would involve

assuming that NATO would continue to accept teeth arm units being

withdrawn with little likelihood of return within present

A

A

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