SECRET
Page 190
consequently this was a measure recommended by the previous as well as the present High Commissioner, and also by the military authorities in Aden; and it would in practice enable persons suspected of terrorism to be brought to trial instead of (as at present) being kept in detention
without trial or dealt with for lesser offences not involving trial
by jury.
THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO (LORD SHACKLETON) also stressed
that the series of recommendations had to be considered as a whole.
The strenghtening of the Federal forces, and the anti-terrorist
measures, would increase the morale and standing of the Federal Government and enable it to appear to its opponents as potentially a credible independent Government capable of ruling the Federation
after the withdrawal of our forces; while the measures of relaxation
of the emergency would give us greater scope for reconciliation with nationalist leaders, primarily from the National Liberation Front (NLF)
but also from the Federation for the Liberation of Occupied South
Yemen (FLOSY). The measures were needed in order to enable us to
withdraw from South Arabia in honourable circumstances and without
serious loss, both financial and military, and to give a genuinely
independent South Arabian Government a fair chance of survival.
of
In discussion the following main points were made (a) The proposed assistance to the South Arabian Federal forces
and the HBL could be argued to take us further in the direction
a military commitment to South Arabia after independence, and might
be taken to imply some weakening of our determination to withdraw our
forces from South Arabia by January 1968. The Committee were,
however, informed that in a message sent on 9th June the High
Commissioner had reiterated his view that military withdrawal from
South Arabia as soon as possible, and by January 1968, was in his
view essentiel: we had given too long notice of our intention to
withdraw and any postponement would have damaging consequences for us.
The Committee were further assured that, as far as could be foreseen,
the proposals for further assistance at present before them were
final, and would be sufficient to maintain our position in South
Arabia until independence and the withdrawal of our forces.
-2-
0
Page 190
Page 190
SECRET
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.