HW 021/1
Reference
34
CONFIDENTIAL
N Clube
Mr Quantrill, HKGD
K 247
827/8
DECOLONISATION DESPATCH
1.
2.
I have recently seen Mr Duggan's minute to you of 1 August.
On his paragraph 1, the despatch was intended to have two functions: in its full version to go in the Personal series to Governors but in a slightly censored form, if this was thought necessary, to be available and indeed to be formally presented to local legis Latures, politicians, chambers of commerce etc. so that our policy is widely known. This suggestion has not of course been agreed by Ministers but for the timebeing we are thinking of the text of the full message we want to send to Governors and this is properly sent in the Personal series.
3.
Paragraph 3: I fully understand Mr Duggan's concern about putting in anything which might appear to share our firm policy on the Falkland Islands. However, what is now contained in paragraph 6 is no more than a re-phrasing of what was in paragraph 11 of the 1975 despatch. The point about association with other territories is im- portant since there is a possibility that Montserrat might join up with Antigua, Anguilla with part of St Martin and the Turks & Caicos with the Bahamas, which is indeed their only reliable future. In passing I note that Turks & Caicos hoped to be absorbed by Canada some years ago and, of course, although this is not on, we would be delighted. would much prefer to leave the thought in paragraph 6 which worries Mr Duggan unchanged but to include, so as not to mislead Governors if indeed they could ever be misled on something so important as this, after the words
integration with the UK, or even" the words "where this was locally acceptable".
#1
I am sorry I have been so slow in sending substantive the draft despatch. These will follow this week.
4.
7 August 1979
CC:
Mr Duggan, S Am D
Mr Pettit, SPD
Mr Gordon, SED
Mr Perceval, M & CD
Pes
P C Duff
I
comments on
West Indian & Atlantic Dept
нка 02511
No uny
18298
CODE 18 - 17
CONFIDENTIAL