TNAG-0429-FCO40-494-Programme-Analysis-and-Review-(PAR)-Future-of-Dependent-Terr-1974 — Page 47

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B

CONFIDENTIAL

FUTURE POLICY IN THE DEFENDING TERRITORIES

I.

INTRODUCTORY

to

In March this year the D.0.P.C. invited the Minister of State

"consider possible arrangements for associating some territories with the United Kingdom on a "metropolitan" basis, or for their association with other members of the Commonwealth, or for some status under the United Nations". The review referred to in paragraph 8 below had. earlier shown a need for closer examination of the possibility of "association without the option of independence" as a final status. The object of this paper is to consider these four possibilities, not in the abstract, but in the context of our overseas policies generally, of the situation in the territories and of the freedom of action we are likely to have.

The remaining territories

2.

The colonial empire proper has been dispersed. The territories that remain are not merely a few left-overs maiting to be sloughed off, but territories of a different kind, much smaller and incapable with few exceptions of any genuine measure of independence. We have a positive interest in retaining some of them and in most of the others we have responsibilities that we cannot lightly lay down. Aside from those for which independence is already the accepted goal there are none

or very fer from which an early withdrawal is practical politics.

*

WAY

3. A list of the territories is attached (Anncx A). The Associated States are not included. Independence is the accepted goal for Mauritius, Swaziland, British Honduras and Brunei. There are positive British interests in retaining Gibraltar, Ascension, the

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CONFIDENTIAL

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