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(h) The presentation of the proposed measures in the debate on South Arabia in the House of Commons on 19th June would require care. In addition to the general considerations already touched on in discussion, there would be certain specific matters on which Ministers might have departmental points to raise for example, the Defence Secretary on
specific items of equipment, and the Minister of Overseas Development on
the scale of financial assistance to the states of the EAP to compensate
then for loss of customs revenue if they agreed to join the Federation.
The Foreign Secretary proposed to show his statement in draft to the
Ministers principally concerned.
THE PRIME MINISTER, summing up the discussion, said that the Committee
approved in principle the series of measures recommended in the Foreign Secretary's memorandum. Those involving the assistance of the Federal
forces and the HBL would need further examination in detail by the
Departments concerned to determine how best they might be implemented, and
in the course of this examination the advantage of making over to the South
Arabian forces equipment surplus to our own needs and already present in
South Arabia should be borne in mind. The objectives of our policy in
South Arabia remained as earlier formulated: to withdraw our forces in
good order, and in accordance with our planned timetable, and to leave behind, if we could, a reasonably stable and independent Federal Government. It was not an objective of our policy to prevent permanently the taking over of South Arabia by the United Arab Republic under President Nasser but it would be contrary to our interests if he were to do so immediately on
our withdrawal.
The Committee
(1) Approved, subject to the points made by the Prime Minister in his summing up, the proposals in OPD (67) 45 for further assistance to South Arabia.
(2) Invited the Foreign Secretary, in preparing his Parliamentary statement and instructions to the High Commissioner in South Arabia, to be guided by the points made in discussion and in the Prime Minister's summing up of their discussion.
Cabinet Office, S.W.1.
16th June 1967
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