TNAG-0757-FCO40-961-Strength-of-UK-armed-forces-stationed-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 45

Priorities

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ANNEX A to

DP 17/78(C)(Preliminary Draft)

(Continued)

64.

Defence Policy Guidelines.

The existing guidelines (2)

Our

do not take account of the pragmatic Soviet policies of applying pressure wherever they consider the world balance may shift in their favour. While the UK contribution to NATO, which includes the defence of the UK base, remains of paramount importance and while we continue to believe that the major part of the UK's Defence resources should be devoted to the Alliance, we believe that there is little point in holding the obvious and direct Soviet threat to the Central Front if it can be out- flanked by en indirect threat through the Middle East and Africa, The allocation of the 1978/79 Defence Budget will result in only 4% of resources being devoted specifically to Non-NATO Commitments. examination of the UK capability to fulfil Non-NATO Commitments suggests that this figure is unrealistic. We consider that the Guidelines require updating to reflect developments since 1975, to reflect Alliance attitudes and to make clear that once HMG has accepted a Priority Two Commitment, it automatically becomes a Priority One Commitment for the duration of the operation. We further consider that a revision of the Guidelines shouid include an order of priority among the foreseeable Priority Two Commitments and should reconsider provision of stockpiles of War reserves to facilitate their implementation.

Note:

2 COS 10/75.

We finally consider that whereas

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