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UK EYES A
British interests overseas including the interests and welfare
of individual British citizens (2). In conjunction with these
objectives the UK also contributes to broadening Western strategic aims for the security of the NATO alliance, and is concerned to inhibit any expansion of Soviet influence that could harm Western interests (3). There is clearly a large measure of unpredictability in judging what the world will be like in 10 to 25 years' time, but it seems reasonable to infer that these broad objectives will continue to hold good. Stemming from, and contributory to, these, a spectrum of national aims will emerge which will include both the influence of change so as to encourage events to move in directions favourable to the UK, and appropriate defensive goals where this is not possible. They will therefore require flexibility, both in their formulation and in the means by which they are pursued, whether diplomatic, economic or military.
UK COMMITMENTS OOA
3.
Colonies, Dependent Territories and Sovereign Base Areas.
The last major colony, Hong Kong, is planned to have been returned to the PRC in 1997, much reducing the UK's military obligations in the Far East, and a list of those dependent territories which will probably remain is at Appendix 2. In the Mediterranean there will still be the SBAS in Cyprus, unless Graeco/Turkish relations have improved to the point where they can combine to exert sufficient pressure for the bases' removal, and possibly Gibraltar. Though the latter is in-area it has significance as a potential mounting-base or staging post for operations OOA. In sum therefore, the UK's remaining direct responsibilities 00A post 2000 will be territories widely scattered geographically, small in population with a very limited ability to defend themselves, and accessible only by sea or air.
2CDS 38/88 3CDS 11/89
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OOA Strategy Review.
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UK Defence Policy Guidelines.
B-2
anb.2s1
UK EYES A
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