From The Minister of State
By dam tik
に
Am Vilmy.
17/21/6
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SWIA 2AH
wlas
512-2715
HWU 310/3
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 41
1 JUN 1982
DESK JANCER INDEX
PA
REGISTRY Netion Takan
27 May 1982
When we spoke in the House last week, you asked me why we were trying to get rid of the British Virgin Islands as a dependent territory; and my impression was that you believed we may have intimated to the local government that the islands would receive more aid if they were independent.
I now write to assure you that we are not trying to get rid of the BVI. Our policy towards the islands is the same as that towards any other dependent territory, viz, that we will give every help and encouragement to a territory which wishes to proceed to independence but will not force it on a territory which does not. It is our understanding that the Government and people of the BVI have no desire at present to become independent. We do, however, on occasion have to make it clear to BVI Ministers that, as long as the islands remain a dependency, decisions on some matters are reserved to HMG. I can quite see how the occasional tug on the reins which we find necessary might be interpreted locally as an expression of a wish to get rid of the islands but that is not the case.
As regards your second point that the islands might get more aid if they were independent, I am assured that this has never been specifically put by us to the local government. We do sometimes, however, point out to dependencies that, while independence does not result in a cessation of British aid, it does mean that aid could be forthcoming from those international organisations and bilateral donors which are precluded from giving aid to a territory as long as it is dependent. At present, the BVI receives approximately
fl million development aid a year from the UK and it is doubtful whether, on average, this level would be exceeded if the
"
territory were independent, though the picture could be distorted if a single large project were to be financed by an international agency.
Zi
hope you found this helpful.
I hozza
Yours
ماعية
Crawlery.
CRANLEY ONSLOW
Victor Goodhew Esq MP
House of Commons
London SW1A OAA