CONFIDENTIAL
A
UK POLICY TOWARDS THE COMMITTEE OF 24
PROBLEM
1.
To decide HMG's relationship with the Special Committee
on the situation with regard to the implementation of the
Declaration on the Granting of Independence of Colonial
Countries and Peoples (Committee of 24). The Mission in
New York are anxious that a decision should be reached as soon
as possible.
BACKGROUND
2.
The attached annex gives a description of the mandate and
membership of the Committee of 24 and a brief account of the
UK's previous relations with it. It also considers in the case
of each UK dependent territory whether there are any factors which
might cause difficulties with a Committee of 24 visiting mission.
3. In his letter to Mr Campbell of 16 April, Mr Richard gives
his recommendations on the course our future relations should
take. This submission comments on the recommendations in
that letter.
ARGUMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Should we co-operate at all? (Paragraphs 5-9 of letter)
4. Mr Richard gives 3 arguments in favour of greater co-operation:
we could bring more influence to bear on the Committee's work
on our smaller dependent territories; there is wide expectation
that the new Government will co-operate with the Committee; and
there would be no danger to our interests from co-operation.
CONFIDENTIAL
15.
The most
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