1 - The Black Vault
1 - The Black Vault
1 - The Black Vault
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Ministry ofDefence<br />
Room 6/10 Metropole Building<br />
Northumberland Avenue<br />
London WC2N 6BP<br />
Forces)<br />
Your ref D/DAS/71/22<br />
l3 August 2001<br />
Dear<br />
Pine Gap - Defence Space Research Facility- Australia<br />
Thank you for your letter dated 9th August concerning my enquiry dated 9 April. I realise my<br />
letter may not have reached in a timely fashion you because I had gave no specific destination<br />
address. Apologies.<br />
I am somewhat surprise that the MOD will not admit a logical (and quite reasonable) tie-up<br />
between our US friends and part of our Commonwealth in global UK SIGINT operations. I<br />
am not seeking to discover what kind of intelligence is shared between parties, I am merely<br />
attempting to show that the UK does have this intimate connection, and our potential enemies<br />
would be wise to take heed of that fact.<br />
I am therefore somewhat dismayed that the MOD will not admit this, notwithstanding the<br />
current UK Government has gone on record as being a more 'open administration' wherever<br />
possible with a lessening of our peculiar national obsession regarding secrecy.<br />
I see you have declined to comment on my enquiry re: B T and DERA I am, of course,<br />
already aware that BTs research & development labs do undertake work for the MOD when<br />
appropriate and will probably have ongoing sensitive assignments. I am not interested in what<br />
the work actually is.<br />
Finally, I did not seek the MOD to comment on the US sphere of operations at Pine Gap.<br />
am aware of that extent and I illustrated that in the second paragraph of my 9th April letter.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is no speculation.<br />
<strong>The</strong> core issue remains only the UK's depth of involvement in this predominantly US led<br />
project. u; as you quote Prime Minister Hawke: ' ... Intelligence collected at Pine Gap<br />
contributes importantly to the verification of arms control and disarmament agreements.' End<br />
quote, it would be unthinkable that the UK would also be interested (at least by treaty if not<br />
unilaterally) in the same ends. Unless you are confirming that we, in the UK, have no interest<br />
in the intelligence that emanates from Pine Gap? Perhaps you can help me further in this.<br />
l DhS __,_<br />
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