Mr Hitch (MTD)
COME ADANA ADA
Reference....
посложено plse speak
SEA BED AND COASTAL WATER RESOURCES OF BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES
1. I think you will agree that Research Department, and in particular Miss Bishop, have made a commendable effort to bring together so much of the expertise and of the intractable material available in the United Kingdom on this subject.
Her paper will be relevant both to the next stage of the PAR and to the Law of the Sea Conference. What is needed
I suggest, is a short covering note drawing out the main conclusions and the implications for British policy. I attach a draft which attempts to do this and should be grateful for any comments on it which you or other recipients of this minute would like to make.
2. Action. Subject to any comments or clarifications from geographical departments on the main paper, I suggest that they might:
i. ask Governors privately for any further
information which they may have on the probable extent of resources in their sea bed and coastal waters;
ii.
seek their assessment of whether there are likely to be profitable openings in this area for British firms or for supply contracts to the UK;
It may be necessary to explain to the Governors the line which we intend to take on the EEZ proposal
as it affects Dependent Territories. Perhaps you would advise departments responsible for the Dependent Territories in question on what they might say about this.
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3. Miss Bishop has asked whether a copy of the paper should be made available to Mr Archer in the IGS. I do not know whether members of the IGS are covered by the Official Secrets Act but, if possible, I think that Mr Archer should receive a copy. My only doubts arise from the reference to defence interests in the Caribbean and to the policy towards the Falkland Islands in paragraph 56. Perhaps the Caribbean and Latin American departments could advise Miss Bishop whether they have any objection to Mr Archer receiving a copy of the paper.
16 January 1974
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CONFIDENTIAL
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MY Pouliber
P JGouden Planning Staff
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