TNAG-0429-FCO40-494-Programme-Analysis-and-Review-(PAR)-Future-of-Dependent-Terr-1974 — Page 120

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CONFIDENTIAL

(VI)

Mr Champion

G & G

SEA-BED AND COASTAL WATER RESOURCES OF BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

You have sent me copies of the Planning Staff's minute to Marine & Transport Department and of the response to this minute of the International Section Research Department on the above subject. For inexplicable reasons, this Department was omitted from the circulation list.

2. I agree that every effort should be made to gain a 200 mile EEZ for the dependent territories, but I believe it to be utterly unrealistic to suggest that if there are exploitable resources of oil or fish within these areas that our whole policy towards the future of the dependent territories should go 'into reverse. The main impediment to independence in the GEIC and the BSIP is their lack of economic viability and the fact that Britain will be required to continue to provide economic aid after independence. The reluctance to move to full independence on the part of the local politicians is largely related to their economic position. There is no question that if they had the economic resources to achieve economic viability, the leaders of both these territories would wish to proceed to independence as soon as possible. Is it now suggested that we should put the brakes on such a movement and face all the possible consequences in order to retain for Britain's own use the oil and fish potential?

If so,

I would strongly disagree that this is a practical policy. Moreover, given the relationship between a dependent. territory and Britain, I am not at all sure how busq resources would be of direct value to Britain if they were located in a territory which had reached at leng a Ministerial form of government or self-government. It has always been our policy that the natural resourc of a colony belong to the colony and are used for that colony's benefit.

3. In brief, therefore, I disagree with the suggestion in para 5 of the draft minute attached to Mr Goulden's minute of 16 January that the future of certain dependent territories needs to be reconside t I do agree, however, with the conclusions of this draft minute at para 6(i) and para 6(iii).

5 February 1974

Сс

Mr Larmour

Mr Huijsman WIAD

"FORN

Mr Stuart HK & IORA

Mr Goulden, Planning Staff

J W Nicholas Pacific Dependent Territories Dept

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