}
CONFIDENTIAL
Questuell 29jz.
I.
HWB 026/1
See
para
17
a Jaspr
Helles
RECORD OF A MEETING BETWEEN MR CORTAZZI AND OFFICIALS AND SIR PETER RAMSBOTHAM, GOVERNOR OF BERMUDA IN THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE ON TUESDAY, 7 FEBRUARY 1978 AT 4 P.M.
Present
Sir Peter Ramsbotham
Mr Cortazzi
Mr Stewart, HKGD
Mr Duff, WIAD
Mr Macoun, OPA
Group Captain Newton, Cabinet Office
Mr Munro, Defence Department
Mr Sullivan, WIAD
1.
Mr Cortazzi opened the discussion by referring to the Bermuda Government's concern that they were being charged the full non-NATO rate by the Ministry of Defence for training courses. Mr Cortazzi asked Mr Munro if it could be argued that Bermuda should be treated as a member of NATO and, once Bermuda became independent, whether it would be able to apply for full membership of NATO.
2. Mr Munro replied that it could be argued that as a dependency situated in the NATO area Bermuda should be treated as a member of NATO: whether Bermuda decided to apply for full membership of NATO after independence was a matter for the Bermuda Government.
They would need to consider what obligations, including financial obligations, membership of NATO would entail: there was some discussion of this in the Green Paper on independence.
For
3. Sir Peter Ramsbotham said that Bermuda was already playing a role in NATO by making its territory available for manoeuvres. instance there had recently been naval exercises under the aegis of SACLANT. The United States had an important airforce and naval base in Bermuda and in his view Bermuda was already doing enough to qualify. The Governor added that he was often reminded by United Kingdom Service Chiefs of Bermuda's importance to NATO.
CONFIDENTIAL
14.