+
CONFIDENTIAL
Ma Milton . f...
クル
Jasper
Dru
Please return
5715-
271
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY Nɔ. 51 30 MAY 1977
HKG 025/1
MR CORTAZZI'S VISIT TO WASHINGTON:
MAY 1977
THE FUTURE OF THE BRITISH DEPENDENCIES IN THE CARIBBEAN
(Current position in background note at Annex)
A. LINE TO TAKE IN WASHINGTON
General
1. We have some difficult problems in deciding our policy towards our small island dependencies and these will not get any less. Since these territories are very much in the Americans' back-yard we acknowledge that the State Department will wish to be kept closely informed of our thinking. our part we shall greatly welcome their own view.
Our Policy Objectives
2.
For
We derive no benefit from our responsibilities for the Dependent Territories and Associated States. On the contrary, these territories are a net liability to us. We are obliged · to make available to them a high level of aid in per caput terms and we risk political embarrassment and defence expenditure on their behalf. The benefits we derive from trade and investment are small. Intrinsically, the stability of these territories matters to us no more than any other part of the world..
3. Accordingly we wish to bring as many territories as possible to independence. In pursuit of this goal, and of a lower British profile generally, we wish:
a) to encourage moves towards regional co-operation, particularly within CARICOM; and
b) to multilateralise our aid through the Caribbean Development Bank and the European Development Fund. We are also increasingly bound to wonder
c) whether there is scope for the involvement of other American States (the USA, Venezuela, possibly Canada and Mexico) more closely in the political and economic welfare of the area.
Associated States
4. The West India Act (1967) was of course designed to look forward to the independence of the Associated States and, given a little luck, there is no obvious reason why St Lucia, St Vincent, St Kitts Nevis and Dominica should not all be independent by the end of 1978 (even though St Vincent and Dominica cannot balance their recurrent budgets). Antigua, at present showing no interest in independence, may by then decide to follow the example of the others. We do not of course impose independence on any British territory which does not want it.
1 CONFIDENTIAL
/St Kitts