Military assistance from UK to Oman

This file relates to UK military assistance to Oman and the conflict in Dhofar. It contains correspondence on:

• HMG's policy in Oman concerning the direct deployment of armed forces personnel, and in deploying them on loan to the armed forces of Oman
• The defence review, and the policy of withdrawal from ‘East of Suez’
• The deployment of the Royal Engineers; ‘Operation Tenable’; the associated costs, and how much the Sultan of Oman Qaboos Bin Saeed Al Said should pay
• The deployment of the SAS
• Reconnaissance reports on the Royal Marines Special Boat Section
• The deployment of the British Army Training Team (BATT), including in the training of the firqat irregulars
• 'Omanisation’ and efforts to reduce Oman's dependence on British personnel
• A proposal by the Defence Secretary Roy Mason for more publicity about the UK's military activity in Oman; his proposal to allow a visit by The Times correspondent Henry Stanhope; and the opposition of the Foreign Secretary James Callaghan
• Press briefing documents
• The visit to the UK of Oman’s Deputy Minister of Defence Sayyed Fahr Bin Taimur Al Said; the refusal of his request for a Ghurka battalion
• Thanks from the Sultan for the loan of British Wessex helicopters
• Speaking notes on Oman for the Lord President Edward Short MP
• Speaking notes for Lord Goronwy-Roberts [Goronwy Roberts] in a Lords debate on the neutrality of the Indian Ocean
• Extracts from a statement on the Defence Estimates for 1975
• Concern over the possible use of napalm by Omani forces
• A call by Stan Newens MP for the withdrawal of British forces from Oman
• A recommendation from the Foreign Office to the Ministry of Defence for the withdrawal of direct assistance personnel
• The withdrawal of the RAF Regiment Radar and Mortar Detachment and the Royal Artillery Detachment
• The discussions held by M S Weir with Iranian chef de cabinet Parviz Raji and Foreign Ministry official Dr Gholam-Reza Tajbakhsh
• The commencement of the post-monsoon offensive mounted out of Parfayt from 15 October 1975
• The deployment of a sound ranging detachment, to detect armaments fire
• UK assistance in airlifting the Sultan of Oman's Air Force (SOAF) to Manston on 21 Oct 1975
• Maps of Dhofar