TNAG-0049-FCO40-85-Responsibility-for-dependent-territories-interests-after-the-1968 — Page 15

tu U.S. Carter

CG 312

Mr. Glover (0/0)

Would you ple

Connder

St se

discuss.

Tome that the hub of the malter, In the case of the kind of toms envmerited

is that

at X

Commercial Secretances /

Connsellors in ons posts abroad ought to be circularned.

and asked to do this.

23/8

As an interiin

measure I have maruted to

Av. Combs an attached

Mr. COBUS

The Interests or

it erritories

There seems to be a road pro. lem these days about keeping the remainin... cependent territories informed of international developme..ta which affect their interesta. This applies particularly in the field of commercial relationa; Hong Kong is, of course, the most important dependent territory in this field.

To the days when the Colonial Office existed the received information about developments in international trace relatione (s.ɛ. new tarifre, new import procedures and the likej and immcniately turned their minds to the question of how dependent territories would be affecte. um took eteps to inform the Colonial Government a, In theor, this procedure ought to have been followed b; the Dories C /.k.v. but 1 cuspect that in practice on many occasions it has not. (a recent example was that zong Fon, was not iurcised until late in the Ga, about the new Zealana Protection Authority).

The problem of remembering the interests of depcbcent territories will be oven greater after' the F.v./.

L

arger. Loubtless the ectophical departments responsible for dependent territories will continue to do their best to lektir. developments which may affect the territories but the, carrot know everything that 10 happening even in the economic/commercial Field It will be necessary, therefore, for subject and geographical departments (other than dependent territories departments) to bear continually in mind the nuêc to keep Colonial Governments informed,

4. The only suggestion I can muke ia thut, shortly after the meiger, an üffice Lotice should be issued reminding all Lepartments (and particularly Departments with economic responcibilities; of our responsibility to protect the interests of dependent territories and to keep Colonial Governments informed of developments which could affect their interests. This applies equali to action. taken by individual third countries ard to develo, ments in international fors such as PMT. 9 and SATT. Doubtless Dependent Territories :ep

∙rtments will be able to advise when necessary

(..reston, Commonwealth Trade Department

22 August, 19%8

copies to:

Mr. J.V. 201¿al

ar.

whitehead (0.1.

Carter.

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