TNAG-0429-FCO40-494-Programme-Analysis-and-Review-(PAR)-Future-of-Dependent-Terr-1974 — Page 23

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and

bat that Mos Kons (which pays for itself

interest in shedding responsibility for them with our obligations to their inhabitants.

3.

Ignoring Southern Rhodesia, we are concerned with just over five million people in a land area of just over 700,000 square miles, administered as 17 dependencies and 5 Associated States. Notes on the territories are given at Annex A, and a map at Annex B. 80% of the inhabitants live in Hong Kong; the British Antarctic Territory, which has no permanent population, takes up 95% of the land area. The remaining dependencies include just over one million people and 35,000 square miles of land.

Apart from dere ksa. defener crat) should

be encouraged to

develop as a

a place

present

ド

4. Our traditional approach to the dependent territories is founded on the United Nations Charter of 1945, which specifies that the interests of the inhabitants of non- self-governing territories should be paramount, and requires the administrating powers to promote their political, social and educational advancement to the point of self-government. Successive British administrations have subscribed to these principles, which are reflected in our present policy, neither to delay independence for those dependencies which want it, nor to force it upon

those which do not.

Where the verbalmisty

Chieno peponta diper arial

bur eine werk,

5. For immediate practical purposes our remaining dependencies may be categorised as follows:

a.

i.

ii.

Those whose continued dependence is in HMG's

interests:-

Hong Kong (see also under b.i. below). The political and economic position of Hong Kong is unique; it has been the established policy of successive British Governments that the status quo should be maintained, (that

that we should do everything possible to sustain the confidence of the people of Hong Kong, and that HMG

will maintain that position.]

British Antarctic Territory (BAT). There is no permanent population. BAT provides a base for the British contribution to international scientific

research. The Antarctic Treaty imposes severe restraint on any change in status before 1991.

iii. British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).

2

RESTRICTED

There is no

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