MOD file DEFE 24/2032/1

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17. The most telling argument of all is that the scientific
community is unmoved by the claims of ufology. A visitor from
tM"'\
outer space - or from another space time continu~, or the
depths of the sea, or an~there else they are supposed to be
one
hiding - would be/of the greatest events in human history,
and the greatest scientific event. You would expect serious
and sensible scientists to be devoting much time and effort
to making contact with these supposed space people. The
scientific community is as unimpressed as the Government~
If the ufologists claim that the Government has gagged the
scientific community, it would be as amazing as the alleged
conspiraCY. of silence between Governments.
IS. One could gG on in~efinitely trying to chase the elusive -
indeed devious - arguments of the ufologists. Yes, there has
been ~n ·increase in the number of 'sightings' reported to the
Government: the biggest upsurges occurred when the BBC put out
a programme on UFOs, and when the Daily Express launched a
campaign in connection with the film premiere of 'Close Encotinters
of the Third Kind'. No, the Government is not in the least con-
earned by the increases. LAs has been saii7 Grenada is
financing a study into UFOs, and the United Nations has, in a
moment of casualness, given that · ,::~i;udy a vague sort of
recognition,and one or two other countries have offered to con-
tribute reports. Her YAjest~'s Government, if it contributes at
all, will contribute on the lines of my speech.
19. There are tens of thousands of strange things to see in
the s1ry. It has become f~shionable to call these things 'UFOs' •
. There are perfectly sensible explanations fc:.- the8e sight1.ngs o
The ufologist explanations are not sensible at all. In 1968