CONFIDENTIAL
5.2
Poor long-range verification capability. because of high
Could be used to monitor
urban and maritime background noise.
significant parts of mainland China, North Vietnam, Taiwan and
parts of the Philippines.
The island is subject to major
excavation for construction purposes, and the Russians might argue
that NTM would not permit effective monitoring of excavated
cavities.
But Hong Kong is on solid rock and clandestine testing
Moreover it would
in solid rock is a wholly untried technology.
be a nonsense to suggest testing in such a densely populated area.
EGMONT
6.1
Part of BIOT. In the Chagos Archipelago, an uninhabited
group of tiny coral atolls 50 miles from Diego Garcia.
Mauritius
has an interest (we have undertaken to return the Chagos Archipelago
to her when we no longer need it for defence purposes) but would
probably not object to NSS. The main difficulty is that Diego
Garcia seems to be the only practicable base for servicing an NSS
on Egmont. Neither we nor the US (who run the defence facility)
would want Soviet personnel there.
6.2
Virtually no potential for verification
very high back-
ground noise level from proximity of sea. Not a possible site for
clandestine testing.
BELIZE
7.1
Our policy is to bring Belize to independence. Only the
Guatemalan territorial claim prevents this. The timing of a
settlement cannot be predicted. The establishment of NSS on
Belize would imply a UK expectation to remain for some time,
conflicting with our declared intention of bringing Belize to
independence as soon as possible. Guatemala could be expected to
CONFIDENTIAL
/object.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.