2 -
any way in which the UN would accept responsibility for
king after small dependent territories. Even if the UN were to agree there would have to be an amendment to the UN Charter, a step which we have to resist on wider grounds
4. We did not reach any conclusions with Mr Richard but agreed that we should keep in touch with one another and that he should be consulted over the preparation of any important papers on the future of the dependent territories He confirmed that there was no particular pressure from the UN at present for accelerated decolonization in small dependent territories.
5.
Mr Luard held a meeting with Mr Richard on 24 May and discussed whether anything might be done to restrict the admission to the UN of small dependent territories (micro- States) that may become independent over the next few years. I understand that Mr Richard agreed to take tentative and confidential soundings of Western colleagues with a view to deciding whether anything could be done. It was accepted that we should need to be particularly careful to try to ensure that any soundings we took did not. become known to any of our potential micro-States since we did not wish to be seen eating into the principle of universality. It was pointed out that any of our territories which might be affected by a tightening up on admission to the UN would have grounds for complaint if having encouraged them to become independent we were not prepared to see them join the UN.
6. ? Insert paragraph on Mr Stanley's meeting of 24 May with the members of the UN Visiting Mission to the Caymans]
D