CONFIDENTIAL
Revaluation of Policy
3.
The purpose of the present Paper is to evaluate the progress made in speeding up the process of decolonisation in the last two and a half years, and to suggest ways and means of encouraging the remaining colonies to achieve
independence as soon as practicable.
4(a) Under the UN declaration (Article 1514) on independence for Colonial countries we have an obligation to find early and suitable routes to independence for our DTs, or at least,
some form of self-determination where full independence is not possible.
(b) We do not ourselves derive any benefit from the Colonies in economic terms and politically they are often a source of embarrassament. There are a few strategic advantages which
will continue in the foreseeable future but these are not
very considerable.
(c) HMG have no defence interests in the remaining DTs apart from Ascension Island, St Helena, Hong Kong and Gibraltar. These Territories in any case are not likely to become independent so are not included in our present study.
(d) In the rest of the Territories we have defence
responsibilities rather than interests and these commitments
would not in all probability raise problems related to independence. The exceptions are the possible calls for the
defence of Belize and the Falkland Islands.
(e) There is thus every reason for us to encourage and even to instigate independence moves in the DTS although it must
(f) As proposed in Mr Callaghan's 1975 despatch, studies have been undertaken to define the political and economic objectives of individual Territories with a view to eventual independence:
(i) Studies Completed
t
(ii) Under Preparation
(iii) Consideration being given to
necessity for Studies on .
(iv) Excluded from Study
Bermuda
Gilbert Islands
Solomon Islands Tuvalu
New Hebrides
Anguilla
British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands
Montserrat
Turks and Caicos Islands St Helena
Ascension
Pitcairn
Hong Kong Gibraltar
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