CONFIDENTIAL
Mr Stewart
FUTURE OF THE JOINT FCO/ODM TERRITORIES DIVISION
1.
You suggested that it might be worth my while to consult the other Assistants in the DTD about the points I raised in my minute of 22 April.
2. I have come to the conclusion that this would probably not be worthwhile. Mr Stanley argued in his mimute of 15 April to Mr Cortazzi that we should preserve the essentials of the present organisation for handling the affairs of the dependent territories, both in the FCO and field into the 1980s. In advocating this he has already taken account of the possibility that the CPRS might take a different line. Since Mr Stanley has formed his views, I doubt whether I should propagate the heretical thoughts advanced in my own minute. We might perhaps bear these in mind in connection with any review of the role of the DTD that might be forced upon us as a result of the CPRS review. Other than that, I think I had better put the papers away for the time being.
D F Milton
28 April 1977
Hong Kong & General Department
CONFIDENTIAL