20
PERICHAL WO CONFIDENTIAL
LA.:
HKG.025/1
- APR 1980
408/2
Realt
J Stratton Esq CNG
FCO
LOZJON
Son Seik,
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
TURKS AND
GISTRY Action Taken
Entes. Muy Farrell
5
CAICOS ISLANDS,
THE WEST INDIES.
Now see(27,
21 March 1990
My
Tiff, HK +GD).
hi
8/4
Rease clarify 5.2 with WIRD
PCLICY TORDS THE JEPETDE IT TERRITORIES
1. Thank you for your letter of 1 February inviting comments on the memorandum setting out the basic policy towards the remaining dependencies. The policy as stated is unlikely to cause problems in the Turks and Caicos Islands, but I think it would be very unwise to publish it without some changes in phraseology.
2. Firstly, political leaders here would pounce on the second sentence in para 4 Mich reads "There can be no standard time-
w.surlastatable for this (a programme for the various stages of constitu-
tional change): the pace vill largely be dictated by local circumstances." They would say that this is inconsistent with Dr Riley's remarks in London when he said that it was WG's policy not to permit the period of ISG to extend beyond a year or 10 months at most. The Ministers here maintain that they were obliged to accept ridley's statement regarding G's policy towards all depen lencies, despite their wish for a much longer period of 1SG here. If the memorandum is to be released for general publication, the sentence should be amended to reflect the statement made to TCI Ministers in London.
PERSONAL AND
CONFIDENTIAL
/3.