TNAG-2239-FCO40-3218-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Royal-Navy-presence-1991 — Page 27

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FM FCO

09 JUL 1991

TO IMMEDIATE GUIDANCE!

TELNO GUIDANCE 25

OF 08140OZ JULY 91

G

RN presense.

AND TO IMMEDIATE ISLAMIC POSTS, OECD POSTS, OAS POSTS, OAU POSTS AND TO IMMEDIATE EAST EUROPEAN POSTS, BTC HONG KONG, PEKING

AND TO IMMEDIATE NICOSIA, PRETORIA, SINGAPORE, SEOUL, BANGKOK AND TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS NEW YORK, BIS NEW YORK, HOLY SEE

AND TO IMMEDIATE MANILA, WINDHOEK, HANOI, KATHMANDU, RANGOON AND TO IMMEDIATE VALLETTA, UKDEL NATO, UKMIS GENEVA, UKDIS GENEVA AND TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS VIENNA, KUWAIT, UKDEL STRASBOURG

AND TO SAVING BELMOPAN, GEORGETOWN, KINGSTON, NASSAU

AND TO SAVING ANGUILLA, ANTIGUA, ASCENSION ISLAND, CAPE TOWN

AND TO SAVING CASTRIES, GRAND CAYMAN, GRAND TURK

AND TO SAVING HAMILTON, HONIARA, MONTSERRAT, NUKU'ALOFA

AND TO SAVING PORT MORESBY, ST GEORGE'S, ST HELENA, ST VINCENT AND TO SAVING TORTOLA, TRISTAN DA CUNHA, ULAN BATOR, VILA AND TO SAVING MANAGUA, PORT STANLEY, SAN SALVADOR, SUVA, TARAWA

PART ONE OF TWO

INTRODUCTION

1.

THE 1991 STATEMENT ON THE DEFENCE ESTIMATES (SDE), SUBTITLED ''BRITAIN'S DEFENCE FOR THE 90S'', WILL BE PUBLISHED AT 143OZ ON 9 JULY, IT IS TO BE TREATED AS IN CONFIDENCE UNTIL THEN. DRAW FREELY ON PARAGRAPHS 2 TO 12 ONCE THE SDE IS PUBLISHED.

LINE TO TAKE

YOU MAY

2. ''BRITAIN'S DEFENCE FOR THE 90S'' IS IN PART A DISCUSSION DOCUMENT, EXPLAINING IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE GOVERNMENT'S "SECURITY/DEFENCE POLICY, AND IN PART A REPORT ON OUR DEFENCE

ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS OVER THE LAST YEAR. THIS YEAR IT FOCUSES ON THE OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION BY BRITISH FORCES IN THE CAMPAIGN TO LIBERATE KUWAIT, AND ON MEASURES BEING TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT, IN LIGHT OF THE CHANGED SECURITY ENVIRONMENT, TO REDUCE OUR ARMED FORCES WHILE RESTRUCTURING THEM TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE READY TO FACE THE CHALLENGES OF THE FUTURE.

3. THE SDE ALSO RECOGNISES, AS THE DEFENCE SECRETARY MADE CLEAR WHEN ANNOUNCING OPTIONS FOR CHANGES IN JULY LAST YEAR, THAT RISKS TO OUR SECURITY CAN ARISE FROM UNEXPECTED QUARTERS, AND THAT WE NEED TO MAINTAIN WELL-EQUIPPED, MOBILE AND FLEXIBLE FORCES TO BE

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