CAB148-30-Defence and Oversea Policy Committee Meetings Relating to 1967 Disturbances-1967 — Page 224

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for negotiations to take place on the aid to be given this year, in the amounts suggested of 1⁄2 million for Singapore and £1 million for Malaysia, and for negotiations to be entered into subsequently on the form and amount

of aid in the longer term.

In discussion general agreement was expressed with the recommendations

of the Defence Review Working Party. The point was made that in view of

the very substantial figures for aid proposed it was important, in order

to avoid establishing any basis on which other countries might be

encouraged to submit claims for aid on a similar scale, to make it quite

clear in public presentation that there were special reasons for aid in

the case of Malaysia and Singapore directly connected with the reduction

of our defence establishments in those countries. The point was made, however, that the figures proposed (apart from the grant of £1 million to Malaysia and £1 million to Singapore during the current financial year)

would not be published, nor even disclosed to the other two Governments

concerned, at the present stage, but would merely provide a basis for our

negotiators; decisions on the actual amounts and kinds of aid would only

be taken on the basis of recommendations by the negotiators as negotiations

proceeded. What should be said publicly therefore might best be considered

at subsequent stages of negotiation in respect of individual sections of aid agreed.

The Committee

Approved the recommendations for aid to Malaysia and

Singapore set out in the report by the Defence Review Working Party (OPD(67) 55).

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