The Political and Social Arena: The NLF and the Flosy in Early Fighting Stages

On 22 February 1966 the British Government published a new “White Paper” which fixed 31 December 1968 as the date for British withdrawal from Aden. The paper also stated that no agreement would be made with the South Arabian Federal Government; this meant that Britain would give up its base in Aden, a change in the principle which had so far guided British policy. ¹ The British Government had concluded that to prolong its former policy would be too expensive in view of the weakness inherent in the Federation and the hostility in the surrounding states (Egypt in North Yemen, the Soviets in Somali and the Chinese in Zanzibar). In fact, at that time it was a general British policy to contract its overseas military presence. ² This decision was fiercely debated in Parliament. Conservative members (Sandys, Fisher) accused the Government of abandoning its all ies. ³ However, in May 1966 the British Government announced its acceptance of the November 1965 UN resolution; in late 1966 it even invited a UN mission to visit in South Yemen. ⁴