CONFIDENTIAL
NIKE 063/1
Mr Cox, m
Ms Aliage (86)
FILE NOTE
Pa
។
13/6.
ROYAL NAVAL PRESENCE AFLOAT: DISCUSSION WITH MICHAEL RANKIN
may be too
late!
1.
I telephoned Michael Rankin (tel 081 748 4103) about the royal naval presence afloat. Peter Innes in SAAD had suggested that we should phone him as they had found him a very useful contact vis a vis HMS Endurance and the Falkland Islands. Mr Rankin is an ex RN chap and is Secretary to the South-West Atlantic Group.
2 Mr Rankin said that he had very recently heard about the MODS plans to withdraw the 3 patrol craft from Hong Kong. He thought this was ridiculous and much on the same lines as their plans to withdraw HMS Endurance. He was of the opinion that there was a small clique of Senior Officials in the MOD who were intent on paring the forces to the bone, respective of the political need for them to remain. He asked whether I was aware of the details.
3.
I said that the MOD were indeed considering the withdrawal of
the vessels because in their view
there was no military need. I set him straight on the background to the withdrawal (that it had originally been agreed but following Tiananmen Square we and the Hong Kong Government thought they should be retained). Mr Rankin said that he would take this matter up with friends and colleagues he had in the Policy Unit in No 10. He said he hoped that this would do some good and that it certainly could not do any harm.
Mühlv Stare. мили
EELAMA
TG
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