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SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
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PRIVACY MARKING
DRAFT
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Type 1 +
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Department
DSR11
...................................In Confidence
HMG'S POLICY TOWARDS THE REMAINING DEPENDENT TERRITORIES
Draft Statement by Mr Luard
1.
As my Hon Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs informed the Hon Member for Eastleigh [Mr David Price] in a written reply on 21 January, it has been the policy of successive British Governments since the end of the Second World War to promote self-government and independence in the Dependent Territories in accordance with the wishes of the inhabitants and the provisions of the Unite Nations Charter. In practice, it has been and remains our policy to encourage those of our remaining Dependent Territories that are capable of sustaining it to proceed to independence at a pace that accords with their interests and wishes. It is not our intention to delay independence for those territories who want it. Nor, on the other hand, is there any intention to impose independence on those territories who do not want it.
..
2. The future of many of the Dependent Territories gives rise to complex problems on account of such factors as size, geographical isolation, difficulties of communication, limited or non-existent natural resources and the general weakness of their economies. It has to be remembered that the remote
communities of Pitcairn Island in the Pacific and Tristan da Cunha in the Atlantic are no bigger than those of many villages in this country. In some cases, as is well known, theposition is complicated by claims to the Territories by neighbouring states. I am thinking of Guatemala in the case of Belize, Spain in the case of Gibraltar and Argentina in the case of the Falkland Islands. Present day problems in some territories are complicated by historical factors,
1
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Dd 108087 400M S&K 1/77
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