Archive

1984 Mar 2 - 1984 Dec 31
Prime Ministerial Private Office files

PREM19/1186
Defence (Defence sales) (Part 4)

Document type: File list item
Source: TNA, PREM19 series
Release date: 2014 Jan 3
Classification: Confidential
Page count: 454
Any docs withheld? 2

PREM19/1186 - download whole file (PDF, 81.35 MB)

Selections from this file

Showing items 1 - 20 of 51

Per page:
Date Value Titlesort ascending
84 Dec 16 Su Major Defence: UKE Jedda telegram to FCO ("Call by Prince Bandar bin Sultan on the Prime Minister") ["this meeting... could play a crucial role in recovering our chances on Tornado.... I hope that... [MT] can show... that we recognize that the main Saudi external preoccupation... [is] the Arab-Israel problem... [and the] need for the European Community to work on the Americans"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Oct 3 We Major Defence: Tebbit PS letter to No.10 ("Hawk Order") [press release: "an American gloss on what has properly in this country been represented as a considerable British achievement"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Sep 26 We Major Defence: Tebbit minute to MT ("Tornados for Turkey") [export credit support: arguments for and against HMG support] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 May 1 Tu Major Defence: Tebbit minute to MT ("Tornado for Turkey") ["When you meet Chancellor Kohl on Wednesday I think it would be useful if you could raise [this] with him"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jul 26 Th Major Defence: Richard Luce letter to Heseltine ("Libya: current Defence sales business") ["Marconi's contract for the sale to Libya of Martello Surveillance Radar... undertakings from France and Italy that they would not supply if we were to cancel the contract... inconclusive... [I] consider that we should place no further impediment in the way of this sale"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Aug 1 We Major Defence: Rees minute to MT ("ECDG cover for Pakistan") [Treasury case against OD committee proposal of credit cover for sale of frigates: "on an exceptional basis and without prejudice to the Government's general policy of reducing ECGD's exposure in countries whose creditworthiness was in doubt"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Feb 20 Mo Major Defence: Prime Minister González letter to MT ('RAPIER' system: British Aerospace consortium with Spanish industry) [four competing bids from UK, US, West Germany/France and Italy: "we hope to be able to make a final decision soon"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jul 5 Th Major Defence: President Zia ul Haq letter to MT (sale of Frigates to Pakistan) ["I have asked Admiral Khan that he should, at the conclusion of the official phase of his visit, carry out detailed discussions with MOD... Several other West European shipyards have expressed a keen interest... on extremely competitive and attractive terms"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Dec 17 Mo Major Defence: No.10 record of conversation (MT, Heseltine, Prince Bandar, Stephen Egerton) [British media; MT forthcoming talks with Reagan; Arab/Israeli dispute/Middle East peace process; international financial stability; terrorism; sale of Tornado to Saudi Arabia] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Mar 27 Tu Major Defence: No.10 Policy Unit minute to MT ("Export credit for Pakistan") ["Given Pakistan's financial position, this proposal comes very close to aid, in military form. Pakistan is a poor risk... The prime object of exporting is to get paid, not to win prestige, or cement friendships"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jun 15 Fr Major Defence: No.10 minute to MT ("Libya: Defence Sales") ["contracts of potential benefit to terrorists... Martello Surveillance Radars... The Lord Chancellor... thinks that we should try to get other countries to undertake not to supply the radars. Only if they refuse should the contract for Martellos be allowed to stand"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jul 5 Th Major Defence: No.10 minute to MT ("Libya - current Defence sales business") [Marconi contract for supply of Martello Surveillance Radars: "should be allowed to go ahead only if... France and Italy would not supply... if we cancelled the contract"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Dec 10 Mo Major Defence: No.10 minute to MT ("Frigates for Pakistan") ["The problem of credit... has re-emerged, with the Pakistanis pressing us to find an extra £30 million... MOD and the FCO want to [comply]... DTI... are prepared to go along... Treasury are firmly opposed"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Mar 16 Fr Major Defence: No.10 minute to MT ("Export credit support for Vosper Thorneycroft") [MT advised to call OD or EX committee meeting in order to decide between two potential Vosper Thorneycroft contracts: frigates for Pakistan or fast patrol craft for Kenya] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Dec 31 Mo Major Defence: MT message to King Fahd (sale of Tornado to Saudi Arabia) [British press; MT visit to US: her assessment of Gorvachev; arms control talks; Middle East peace process ] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Jan 16 Mo Major Defence: MT letter to Prime Minister González ('RAPIER' system: British Aerospace consortium with Spanish industry) ["I know that Michael Heseltine has written very recently to Sr Narcis Serra... But I wish to add my own support to the British Aerospace proposals"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Sep 30 Su Major Defence: MT letter to President Zia-ul-Haq (sale of Type 21 Frigates to Pakistan) [contract negotiations; Memorandum of Understanding] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Nov 21 We Major Defence: MT letter to President of the Society of British Aerospace Companies Ltd (sale of Tornado to Turkey) [credit support: "we have concluded that the financial risks for the Government are unacceptably high"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Aug 29 We Major Defence: MT letter to President of the Society of British Aerospace Companies Ltd (sale of Tornado aircraft to Turkey) ["in terms of our risk exposure... It will need careful consideration to determine where the balance of national advantage lies"] [declassified Jan 2014]
84 Nov 9 Fr Major Defence: MT letter to King Fahd (sale of Tornado and Hawk aircraft to Saudi Arabia) ["I trust that the final negotiations... may now proceed... As a mark of my desire to bring this message directly to Your Majesty's attention, I have asked Michael Heseltine to bring it in person"] [declassified Jan 2014]