M
(ii)
CONFIDENTIAL
9
DSR 11C
We tend to be in a small minority of white
Commonwealth countries at Commonwealth
meetings, and do not even always get the support
of Canada and Australia, who see the Commonwealth
as providing an opportunity for them to act as
a bridge between North and South. We therefore
tend to have to defend our policies to states
who do not really matter, and because of the
Commonwealth tradition of consensus, to be party
to statements with which we donot agree.
(iii) The informality of Commonwealth bilateral
relationships can be a hindrance as well as
help.
Countries can come to expect too much
of us, and to react if we fall short of their
expectations: Malaysia may be a case in point.
(iv)
The Commonwealth costs us £8 million a year.
15. These disadvantages are not seriously detrimental
to our interests. They do not outweigh the advantages;
nor do they justify our seeking to leave the Commonwealth.
Nonetheless they do point up that the Commonwealth is
something of a mixed blessing.
Anything we could do to
tilt the balance further in our favour by maximising the
benefits to us of the Commonwealth and minimising its costs
would clearly be welcome.
1
"...
16.
However our ability to bring about change in the
Commonwealth is limited. We have deliberately given up its
/leadership