Page 35
(97792)
SECRET
Page 35
SECRET
1.
MALTA
(Previous Reference: OPD(67) 1st Meeting, Item 2)
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS (MRS. HART) recalled
that after the discussion in Cabinet the previous Tuesday of the current
crisis in Malta, the Prime Minister had sent a message to
Dr. Borg Olivier, the Prime Minister of Malta, which, while offering
no concessions of substance, was couched in conciliatory terms to afford
him the chance of reconsidering the present attitude of the Maltese
Government. No reply had yet been received, but Dr. Borg Olivier had
deferred the third reading of the Bill to amend the Status of Forces Act,
by which the Maltese Government would purport to abrogate the Defence
Agreement with us, in order to hear whether we had any further offer
to make in the course of the debate which was due to take place in the
House of Commons on the following day. Generally speaking personal
relationships in Malta between British and Maltese were still good and
it seemed possible that Dr. Borg Olivier at least was seeking some way out of the present political impasse. Nevertheless, the continued
administrative harassmont of our forces by his Government could make
their position extremely difficult and it was essential to find some means of reducing the present highly emotional tension in the Island.
Officials were examining urgently the military, political and economic
consequences of a total withdrawal of our forces from Malta. Their
report would not be available for consideration by Ministers before the
middle of the following week but it was clear that precipitate withdrawal
would damage our international standing and there had already been expressions of concern in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)
especially from the United States and Canada. After discussion the
previous evening between the Ministers primarily concerned, it was pro-
posed that a telegram should be sent to Dr. Borg Olivier suggesting that
since the essential point in the Maltese case was their contention that
after the reduction of our forces we should be unable to fulfil our
obligations under the Defence Agreement for the defence of Malta, there
might be advantage in seeking independent advice from NATO on this issue.
If the advice from NATO were to the effect that our proposals placed Malta at any serious defence risk, we would modify our plans accordingly.
If this suggestion were acceptable to the Maltese Government we would
undertake not to carry out any part of the reduction of our forces in
consequence of the Defence Review until the NATO study was completed, on
the understanding that they for their part would undertake not to proceed with the amendment of the Visiting Forces Act and to cease any other
measures directed against our forces. It would have to be understood
that the NATO study would be completed by the end of February.
SECRET
-
Page 35
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.