What complicated
the price the US should pay in compensation/rent. the talks was the Bahamians' insistence on linking the bases.
He did not know whether this tactic was negotiations to other issues.
a result of the Bahamians having an exaggerated idea of the importance the US attaches to its bases in the Bahamas or whether it was a reflection of the global view which the Bahamians took of their relations with the US.
。
". Mr Hewitt said that the US had reached a similar impasse in their negotiations with Barbados, although the base was of less economic significance to Barbados. Now that the US had reached an agreement (at $750,000 per facility) with Antigua on their two bases there the importance of their base in Barbados had diminished. The US feared that the Barbadians had not grasped this and the consequent risk of closure.
5. Mr Hewitt said the US were grateful for the UK's helpful efforts in trying to get Dr Williams (Prime Minister, Trinidad) to see sense over the Loran base in Trinidad. Other countries, including West Germany and Norway had also tried to influence Williams and had stressed the commercial, non-military importance of the bases. Williams appeared to have adopted an emotional, nationalistic attitude.
But
6. Me Duff said he was competent to speak only of the situation of
The the Turks and Caicos Islands. There were three aspects. first, and most important, was the amount of compensation (annual rent) the US would be prepared to pay. He thought the Turks and Caicos would accept an offer based on tho Antiguan precedent ($12 millions). But two other aspects had emerged. First, the Turks and Caicos request for fringe benefits such as assistance on road and jetty projects; the second, the Turks and Caicos proposals
Mr Duff for assistance in improving their social services, etc. thought the Turks and Caicos would be prepared to drop these suggestions if the US's offer for compensation was reasonable.
Mr Hewitt said he He thought this is what the US should aim for. thought this would also be the US Defence Department's preference. Mr Duff also thought the Turks and Caicos would then allow the Loran base in the S. Caicos tax free. He emphasised there were limits to how far the UK could go in trying to persuade Turks and Caicos
Mr Hewitt said he understood this. Mr Dale thought it Ministers. might help if the US made one or two small token contributions such
Mr Duff undertook to as towards repair of wear and tear of roads.
examine an American suggestion that we should allow the Turks and Caicos Government to benefit more directly from a financial settle- ment than was now possible under our aid procedures.
7. Mr Watkins said he found Mr Hewitt's exposition both fascinating and depressing. He said that the problems referred to were exactly those which he had encountered when involved in similar talks in 1973. It seemed that little progress had been made.
8. Mr Moss asked how viable was the alternative to the Bahamas of
Mr Hewitt said such a base would not be a base in the US Virgin Islands. as good as one in the Bahamas but many of the systems in their present bases were so old that they would soon become obsolete anyway and the US Navy would not be too broken-hearted if it had to close down in one or two places. But of course it would not want to close down all its
/hases