SECRET UK EYES A
this, and redeployment of certain forces to north and west Australia (in the light of experience gained on the large scale KANGAROO exercise in 1989), is subsiding but morale of the Armed Forces is low and retention is a growing concern. UK Defence links with Australia continue, inter alia, under the valuable LONG LOOK programme of exchanges, and the planning and execution of FPDA exercises has seen the close cooperation of British and Australian Defence Forces. Agreement has been reached with the Australian government on a defensive line concerning the emergency dry-docking of UK warships, and this, together with the recent establishment of naval tugs on the East coast, indicates that future
that future RN ship visits should
should experience less chance of disruption.
16. Defence relations with New Zealand remain dominated by the country's anti-nuclear position, although the National Party has determined to revitalize links with both the US and the UK. There is, however, little room for manoeuvre, although UK policy has been, and will continue to be, the maintenance of strong Defence links with New Zealand within its self-imposed legal constraints. To this end we continue to explore ways to reduce New Zealand's isolationist stance. The intention to remove nuclear weapons from US and RN vessels may hasten this process.
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SECRET UK EYES A
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