role in the Gulf
developing strongly.
CONFIDENTIAL UK EYES A
war: UK/Egypt defence relations are also
The fourth place should go to Israel, primarily to provide the
the necessary political balance on the course though another factor is the generally high quality of
the Israeli students.
S
14. Oman is a regular attendee at RCDS, though it was only
reserve place last year. Although Oman's a
offered
attitude
during the Gulf war was not wholly helpful, defence links remain very close. I therefore believe that it should receive the first
of the floating places.
15. There are a number of candidates for the reserve list. The
rehabilitation of Jordan continues and although the MOD is
unlikely to devote the same level of resources to the defence
relationship as before, the FCO are very keen to bolster the position of the King and the Hashemite government. I believe that
Jordan should therefore have a place at the top of the reserve
list. Elsewhere in the Gulf, relations with the UAE are burgeoning, but as they are likely to receive places on all three single service staff colleges in 1993 it should be sufficient for them to receive a reserve list placing for RCDS. In North Africa, Algeria still has potential as a significant defence
sales market and should also appear on the reserve list.
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
16. Nigeria remains the most important country in Africa (outside South Africa) and the case for allocating it a place is re- inforced by our planned involvement in the establishment and operation of their new War College. Kenya remains important for the training and transit facilities it offers and did not receive
a place in 1992. It should therefore be offered one in 1993. The
other country in sub-Saharan Africa where
where we have
we have a specific
defence interest is Botswana, where for the first time in 1991 the Army carried out company level infantry training. I believe
CONFIDENTIAL UK EYES A
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Private notes are available after approval.