CONFIDENTIAL
HKG.025/1
25 000 1979
Nation Taken
Mr Stratton
POLICY TOWARDS THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES
Problem
1.
The Governors of the British Dependent Territories in the
Caribbean at their conference in Barbados last January agreed
that they would welcome clarification of certain aspects of
current government policy towards the Dependent Territories.
Recommendation
2.
I recommend that a despatch should be addressed to all
officers administering governments of Dependent Territories
on the lines of the attached draft.
1
3つ
Background.
3.
For the past 34 years, successive British Governments
have followed a policy of giving every help and encouragement
to colonies wishing to become independent (provided it was feasible
for them to do so), while not forcing independence on those that
did not want it. This policy is well understood, and there is no
reason to seek to change it. But the discussions in Barbados last
January revealed that there was some uncertainty about certain
aspects of the way this policy should be put into effect.
particular, it emerged that clarification would be welcome on
the following points:-
In
a) How far constitutional development should be allowed
to proceed in territories where independence is not
contemplated in the foreseeable future;
/b)
CONFIDENTIAL