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ACTION ARA-10
INFO OCT-01 EUR-12 ISO-00 SS-15 SP-02 PM-04 CIAE-00 INR-07
NSAE-00 DODE-00 NSC-05 /056 W
--------------------- 047143
R 091226Z OCT 75
FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9715
INFO AMEMBASSY LONDON
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE BRIDGETOWN 1851
E. O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: MARR, VI
SUBJ: US NAVAL FACILITY ON ANEGADA
1. EMBASSY HAS FORTUITOUSLY LEARNED, THROUGH PUBLICATION OF
AN ARTICLE IN THE ISLAND SUN, ONLY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS, THAT US NAVY APPARENTLY OPERATES
"DRONE LAUNCHING FACILITY" ON ANEGADA IN BVI.
ACCORDING TO NEWSPAPER ARTICLE, GOVERNOR OF BVI HAS NOTED
THAT USG HAS EXERCISED OPTION FOR RENEWAL OF LEASE COVERING
PARCEL OF LAND ON ANEGADA FOR PERIOD BEGINNING JULY 1, 1975.
2. I FIND IT ASTONISHING THAT NOT ONLY WAS NO MENTION EVER
MADE OF THIS FACILITY WHEN I WAS BRIEFEDON DOD BEFORE COMING
HERE BUT ALSO THAT WE SHOULD HAVE HAD TO LEARN ABOUT LEASE
RENEWAL IN FASHION DESCRIBED ABOVE. I FULLY APPRECIATE FACT
THAT, BVI BEING A DEPENDENT TERRITORY, EMBASSY IS NOT RES-
PONSIBLE FOR IT IN SAME WAY AS FOR BARBADOS, GRENADA AND WEST
INDIES ASSOCIATED STATES. NEVERTHELESS, BVI IS WITHIN OUR
CONSULAR JURISDICTION AND WE DO MAKE AN EFFORT TO FOLLOW
SIGNIFICANT POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS THERE,
SINCE EMBASSY LONDON OBVIOUSLY CANNOT DO SO ADEQUATELY, GIVEN
ITS DISTANCE FROM BVI. IF WE ARE TO DO OUR JOB PROPERLY, WE
MUST BE KEPT INFORMED OF DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN AREA UNDER JURIS-
DICTION WHICH INVOLVE OTHER USG AGENCIES.
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3. ACTION REQUESTED: THAT WE BE ADVISED IN DETAIL OF (1)
ANEGADA LEASE AND USE MADE BY US NAVY OF DRONE LAUNCHING
FACILITY AND (2) OF EXISTENCE WITHIN EASTERN CARIBBEAN OF
ANY MILITARY, AIR OR NAVAL FACILITIES OTHER THAN THOSE ON
ANEGADA, BARBADOS, AND ANTIGUA. ALSO, THAT ANEGADA FACILITY
BE ADDED TO LIST OF TOPICS TO BE INCLUDED IN MY FORTHCOMING
WASHINGTON DISCUSSIONS (SEE BTN 1836).
BRITTON
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