NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
General Background
1. The Netherlands Antilles consist of three tiny islands off the coast of Venezuela: Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire, and three even smaller islands in the Windward group: Saint Maarten, St Eustatius and Saba. The two most important islands however are Aruba (247quare miles in area and population 16,000) and Curacao (178 square miles and 45,000).
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Political/Economic
2.
In 1954 the Antilles were granted autonomy by the Netherlands and became a member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The autonomous status relates however only to domestic affairs, all foreign affairs and defence still being the responsibility of the Kingdom; justice and human rights are also Kingdom concerns. Queen Juliana is represented in the Antilles by an appointed Governor. According the May edition of Insight, Prime Minister Rosendal called an election in May after only 18 months in office, following tension caused by his failure to resolve a civil servants' strike. acting PM is now Mr Pourier.
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3. The internal affairs of the Antilles are the responsibility of the Central Government which comprises a Council of Ministers and a 22-member Parliament, elected every four years. Each of the island territories has its own administration or island government.
4. The future of the islands is very cloudy. Constitutionally The Hague cannot give independence to the Antilles in view of their status as Realms of the Kingdom, but the islands may ask for independence - this seems unlikely at present. A Kingdom working group is at present looking into relations between the islands and the Netherlands, and a report is expected by 1981. Caribbia is the name favoured by local politicians for a new state, but progress is likely to be slow until the inhabitants are absolutely certain of their post-independence security both politically and economically Aid to the Antilles currently runs at about £25 million pa.
5. A Treaty defining the territorial waters between the Netherlands Antilles and Venezuela was signed in Curacao in March 1978. The boundaries as defined in the new treaty are well clear of any possible claim by Colombia.
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Venezuela is apparently interested in closer economic cooperation with the islands and has offered to provide technical assistance for oil exploration and to promote joint ventures, such as the establishmen of a shipping line between the Antilles and Venezuela and measures to help relieve unemployment, eg by permitting Antilles workers to emigrate to Venezuela. The Venezuelan 'nationalised oil corporation has shown interest in acquiring a financial stake in the Shell and Exxon refineries on Curacao and Aruba, which were specifically designed to handle Venezuelan heavy crude and produce residual fuel oil.