TNAG-0429-FCO40-494-Programme-Analysis-and-Review-(PAR)-Future-of-Dependent-Terr-1974 — Page 72

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CONFIDENTIAL

DRAFT DOPC MEMORANDUM

1.

CABINET

DEFENCE AND OVERSEA POLICY COMMITTEE

REVIEW OF THE FUTURE OF THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES Joint Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Minister of Overseas Development.

The attached Review was completed in November 1973, but could not be submitted to Ministers collectively before the General Election. It examines the costs and benefits of Her Majesty's Government's continued responsibility for the remaining 18 dependencies and 6 Associated States (now 5, as Grenada is independent). It concludes that except in the case of Hong Kong, British Antarctic Territory, Falkland Islands Dependencies, British Indian Ocean Territory and St Helena/Ascension Island, which in our view it is in HMG's continuing interest to retain as dependencies, we should now adopt a conscious policy of "accelerated decolonisa- tion". There is not much to choose between the quantifiable costs of such a policy and those of continued dependence. The choice is essentially political, though obviously we cannot ignore its financial implications.

POLITICAL CONCLUSIONS

2.

Dependency

We agree with this conclusion, and with the recommendation that its implementation must be considered territory by territory in the light of the particular circumstances of each. status is now an anachronism, and our traditional policy of devolving power is virtually irreversible. Even when we retain sovereignty, the process of constitutional devolution continues, with the disadvantage to us that, although we have an ultimate responsibility, we have less and less effective control.

The

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CONFIDENTIAL