Registry No.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret,
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
CONFIDENTIAL
DRAFT
TERRITORIAL SURVEY
Type 1 +
From
To:-
Telephone No. Ext.
Department
DSR 11
TERRITORY: BERMUDA
In Confidence
POPULATION:
57,000 (estimated)
SPECIAL FACTORS:
None, other than its small land area and
great wealth.
PROSPECTS FOR INDEPENDENCE: At present the local preference is probably to remain dependent, but the constitutional issues raised by the Report of the Royal Commission of Enquiry into the 1977 Disturbances may accelerate the process towards independence. A White Paper on independence is due to be published shortly by the Bermuda Government. Bermuda is unlikely to become independent for at least three to five
years.
POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES TO INDEPENDENCE: Union or association
with the United States.
RECOMMENDED POLICY: The first priority is to increase con- fidence between the races and to eliminate inequalities, particularly in the electoral and constitutional fields. When this is achieved, Bermuda will be ready to move to independence. Meanwhile we should accept that for the time being Bermuda will remain a dependent territory but seek in all ways to create the will and objective conditions for independence.
CONFIDENTIAL