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<p>Significant progress has been made on the withdrawal of British troops from Germany.
Having closed Celle Station in 2012, the closures of the Rheindahlen Military Complex
and Münster Station were completed in 2013, and Hameln Station will close by December
2014. The programme remains on track to deliver, enabling us to close and release
Elmpt and Herford Stations by December 2015, followed by the closure of Hohne and
Fallingbostel Stations before March 2016. <br><br>We have already reduced our military
numbers in Germany by 33% through the programme of preliminary moves and unit disbandments,
and the first tranche of major unit moves and re-roling from Germany will occur in
2015. These moves will result in a reduction of up to 70% of troops by the end of
2015, exceeding the Strategic Defence and Security Review target of bringing back
half of those personnel based in Germany by 2015. The remaining troops will relocate
by 2019, as part of our intent to base the three high readiness Reaction Force Brigades
on Salisbury Plain. <br><br>The Secretary of State for Defence met with the German
Defence Minister, Frau Dr Ursula von der Leyen, on 13 January to discuss a number
of issues, including the withdrawal of our troops from Germany. More widely, the Ministry
of Defence (MOD) continues to liaise with the German authorities at a number of levels:
through Ministers and officials in the UK: the Defence Attaché in the British Embassy
in Berlin; and the General Officer Commanding British Forces Germany, other regional
British Commanders and a network of in-country liaison officers. MOD officials are
also liaising with their German counterparts to assist in finding alternative uses
for the facilities that will be vacated by the British Forces.</p>
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