‘Future of the UK in world affairs’: Note of a meeting held in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 5 December 1957
“What are our essential interests overseas? The following suggestions (not in any order of prioritiy) were made: (i) maintenance of our position as a world power, (ii) the strength of sterling, (iii) ensuring continued United States participation in world affairs, (iv) the importance of our trade, (v) safeguarding our oil interests.”
National Archives, T234/768
So very true and not very surprisingly, not a lot has changed since 1957. Explains all the wars we keep getting involved in.