TNAG-0049-FCO40-85-Responsibility-for-dependent-territories-interests-after-the-1968 — Page 4

My Comba

erests of Dependent Territories.

minute of 26 August was no more than an interim reply to Kr. Preston's minute to you about keeping dependent territories informed of inter- national developmente affecting them. I explained

that it would be some time before I was able to give a considered reply.

2. I agree, of course, that there is a problem here and one which needs to be emphasised at this stage when the merger of the Foreign and Comnormaalth office is impending. Dependent territories, for whose external relations we are responsible, are not in a position to collect information from abroad except perhaps on a very limited basis through commercial channels, Hong Kong for instance has only three representa» tives oversees – in Washington, Geneva and Brussels. It must be our responsibility as the metropolitan cɔuntry to do what we can to provide dependent territories, not only with details of measures by third countries directly affecting their specific interests, but also with the necessary general information and advice about trade and economic developments in the world as whole on which they can base their external trade policies. Here the cace of Hong Kong is particularly relevant. Not only do we have a responsibility to let the Hong Kong Government know about the changes in trede policies which may directly affect the volume and flow of her exports in her most important and vital markets, but, ac Hong Kong's interests as one of the world's largest exporters are so varied and wide, we must also pass on information about other developments wherever they take place, irrespective of whether Hong Kong's interesta are substantially involved. Only in this way can Hong Kong formulate a general external trade policy.

3.

In the days of the Colonial Office it was the direct responsibility of its Economic Relations Department to watch the interests of dependent territories in this context, but it is not now possible to identify a single departaent that might take on this functim. Nevertheless it is still our responsibility to see that our dependent territorise get an adequate service.

4. In my previous minute I mentioned briefly the possibility that Commercial Counsellors and Secretaries in overseas porte night perform this task, but I have since come to the conclusion that it would be expecting too much to ask them to this. Admittedly some posta already render yooman service to Hong Kong - for example Djakarta is usually quick to realise where Ilong Kong' interests might be affected by measures the Indonesian Government may take. But they cammot be expected to have the necessary knowledge to distinguish in every ansʊ whether the intereste of dependent territories are concerned directly or indirectly and which territories are the mont affected. Moreover in some cases missions overseas may lack the necessary man-power to undertake this function. It might be useful to bring to their attention in general terms the need

/ to bear