A British newspaper reported that after the separation of Singapore from Malaysia, Britain was considering removing nuclear weapons stockpiled by the Royal Air Force (RAF) in Singapore.

The arms were stationed at an RAF base in Singapore as a contribution to the South-east Asia Treaty Organisation (Seato) and to possibly defend India against Communist China, said the Daily Express.

The weapons had become a ig headache for Britain after Singapore's exit from Malaysia, it added.

If nuclear weapons were barred under a new defence treaty Britain was to renegotiate with Singapore, they might be moved to Butterworth, Malaysia, or Darwin, Australia.

The Daily Express report was dismissed as speculative in official circles, according to The Times newspaper.