TNAG-2239-FCO40-3218-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Royal-Navy-presence-1991 — Page 56

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CODE 18-77

Assistants in:

WIAD

SAAD

SEAD

HKD

MED

SED

SAD

EAD

Policy Planning Staff

Security Policy Dept

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>

CONFIDENTIAL

HK 8063/1

09 JUL1791

Reference

106

Ра

RN prefense

) with Mr Gass's minute

) of 28 June

OUT OF AREA DEFENCE COMMITMENTS

1.

The Secretary of State has asked for a paper on out of area defence commitments (Mr Gass's minute of 28 June refers). We obviously shall need input from geographical departments in order to prepare the paper. I should therefore be grateful if addressees could let me have the following information by cop 4 July in order to meet the Private Office deadline of 11 July.

(i)

existing commitments, including force deployments;

(ii) changes (if any) being proposed by MOD eg as part of Options for Change;

(iii) our assessment of the effect of such changes on foreign policy/dependent territory interests;

(iv) current state of play on FCO/MOD exchanges, particularly where we are resisting MOD proposals.

2.- In addition to the commitments listed in Mr Gass' minute SAAD will wish to cover the Falklands garrison, SAD the future of the Gurkhas, MED the Armilla Patrol, SEAD the Five Power Defence Arrangements and SED the Sovereign Base Areas and Gibraltar.

3. The obligation to defend our 14 dependent territories is clearly central to our commitments beyond the NATO area. Ι should be grateful if WIAD could let us have a separate note on reinforcement plans for the smaller territories and the extent to which our ability to implement them may be affected by MOD cuts.

4. In preparing the paper we.shall, in conjunction with the Planners, try to assign priorities as requested by the Secretary of State. I hope that it will be possible to consult departments again before submitting. I understand that once agreed the Secretary of State will probably want to send the paper to Mr King.

2 July 1991

J. D. Sa Yar

J D Sawyer

Non-Proliferation and Defence Dept.

CONFIDENTIAL