Naval exercises off Simonstown

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33628, 2 September 1974, Page 13

Naval exercises off Simonstown

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) LONDON, September 1. The British Ministry of Defence has claimed that joint sea exercises by Royal and South African Navies will take place off Simonstown on Wednesday.

A statement authorised by the Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Roy Mason) denied categorically that there had been any dis-

agreement between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Royal Navy (Mr Frank Judd) and himself over the visit of British warships to Simonstown. The Ministry statement followed a report in the “Observer” today that Mr Mason had overruled Mr Judd, and had authorised the visit under strong pressure from the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mr Judd has been opposed to making any concessions to South Africa over the Simonstown naval base, and earlier this year he ever, stopped the Royal yacht Brittania, from calling at Cape Town. The “Observer” report said that the Cabinet Defence Committee had approved the decision to proceed with the exercises “knowing that it would produce a strong protest from within the Cabinet and the Parliamentary Labour Party.” A Ministry spokesman said that six British warships and three fleet auxiliaries would be in the Simonstown area, and that they would, as usual, make use of local weapons-train-ing facilities, and be joined by South African ships and maritime aircraft. This was consistent with , the Simonstown agreement [for the defence of the Cape I sea routes, the spokesman added.