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administering the Saar from 1920-35

Although unlikely to get off

the ground, temporary administration by the UN could prove a useful stepping stone under the integration with a third power option.

27. The possibility of administration by other international or regional organisations or groupings such as the Commonwealth and EEC

is remote even if desirable. Neither has the financial or

administrative capacity, nor the political will, to administer dependent territories at present and member States would probably object to the organisations taking on what could be regarded as a

neo-colonial role. But future (probably temporary) administration

by the Commonwealth Secretariat or the EC Commission should not be

ruled out. UK dependent territories are presently eligible for association under Part IV of the EEC Treaty. The current regime of

association is set out in a Council Decision of 30 June 1986, the

provisions of which are closely related to the Third Lomé

Convention. They are eligible for assistance under the Regional and

Social Funds. If they became independent the UK would then have the opportunity at least to try and negotiate favourable terms for acceding to the Lomé Convention.

Past

28. Condominium status This option would involve joint administration of a territory by the UK and a third power.

examples of this form of administration include the Condominium of

New Hebrides (Vanuatu) and the US/UK Condominium of Canton and

Enderbury Islands. This option has its attractions from the costs

point of view for the populated territories and would be most

appropriate for those territories where a Third Power has a

(strategic) interest in the territory or area But it could be cumbersome and problematic to implement (as was the case with the New Hebrides) and the disadvantages of working with another Administering Power could outweigh the advantages if any in terms of cost. Examples might include UK/US Condominiums of Bermuda

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