TNAG-2237-FCO40-3216-Future-of-Hong-Kong-defence-and-public-order-1991 — Page 42

c.

d.

SECRET UK EYES A

providing assistance in the formation of a unified Army in South Africa. Both the ANC and the de Klerk government have expressed support for a British role in this process.

Review the MOD contribution to British anti-narcotics programmes OOA.

(1) The COS have reviewed MOD Policy

MOD Policy for anti-drugs operations and activities (CDS 21/91). Recommendations, which confirmed existing practice and identified some scope for rationalising and possibly extending current support, have been endorsed by Ministers. In the Caribbean, British Forces provide LSP to assist a number of Dependent Territories (DTs) and other countries, particularly members of the Regional Security System (RSS), and logistic assistance for local forces involved in counter narcotics (CN) operations. The West Indies Guard Ship (WIGS) conducts coordinated patrols with the US Navy (USN) and US Coastguard (USCG), and over a period which has seen a heightened awareness by Whitehall and the DTS themselves of the drugs threat to these islands, she has been programmed to act in support of the DT's CN efforts and to work in cooperation with French and Dutch assets in the area whenever

area whenever possible. In Belize the garrison provides CN intelligence and logistics support to the Belize authorities, and further work is underway to consider the scope for further support to the Belize Government in its campaign to reduce drug trafficking. In Cyprus, the Services occasionally assist with CN operations in the Sovereign Base Areas (SBAS) for which the Commander British Forces (CBF) is responsible in his capacity as Administrator, and also

also give CN related assistance to the Cypriot authorities. In Hong Kong, CN operations are the responsibility of the Royal Hong Kong Police (RHKP) and Customs and Excise although on occasions the Services have assisted with the interception of drug traffickers. At the request of the FCO, MOD is continuing to provide training for the Colombian law enforcement authorities in a number of ways,

a number of ways, including training in rural anti-narcotics operations and bomb search and disposal. This assistance, which started in autumn 1989, forms part of a substantial British Government package to assist the Colombian Government in its fight against the cocaine-producing cartels. Further FCO funding for this training beyond the end of FY 1991 is being considered.

Continue efforts to improve arrangements for Foreign and Commonwealth Training (FCT) and the means of allocating manpower and funding specific objectives.

(1) In view of the pressures building up for increased funds to support military assistance, unabated interest by overseas countries in our training, and the introduction of the New Management System (NMS), Management Services Organisation (Man S Org) have produced a study for the Defence Training Committee (DTC) to examine FCT management across the three Services and the

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SECRET UK EYES A