own future defense interests or needs in Gibraltar,
In effect therefore the Act would have many of
the same consequcnood as integration and would acem
open to the same objections. It would create an
open-ended and unconditional commitment for the U.K.
and in so doing would close the door to Spain.
It
would give the people of Gibraltar a final control
over their own destiny which they have not the
resources to sustain, Since the price of maintaining
Gibraltar's present status falls on the U.K., the Act
Char
would embody, dangerous separation of power from
ん
responsibility.
(a) Relations with other Dependent Territories.
If such a Bill were introduced into Parliament
for Gibralter, it could be expected that the Falkland
Islanders would immediately ask for one too. It is
vory difficult to see the grounds on which such a
privilege could be refused to the Falkland Islanders
who are our own kith and kin, if it had once been
conceded to the Gibraltarians. However, in the House
(
of Commons debate about the Falkland Islands on 26
March the Foreign Secretary, while making it clear
that there co ld be no change of sovereignty unless
HMG were satisfied that the conditions attached to it
were acceptable to the Falkland Islanders, also under-
lined the fact that the final decision over sovereignty
rested with HG. It would seem very difficult to
maintain that position in practice, if not in law,
if there were a Falkland Islends Act on the pattern of the
suggosted Gibraltar Act. The prospects of continuing
the dialogue with Argentina would presumably be set
back for some years.
It might also be necessary to consider the
effect on other Depondent Territories over which there
are or may in future be international disputes.