TNAG-0597-FCO40-744-Future-of-Dependent-Territories-territorial-studies-1977 — Page 11

CYPHER/CAT A

FROM F C O 121425Z

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIA

HKG 025/1 нка

RECEIVED O

1 3DEC 1977

OFFICER

10. 51

REGISTRY

Action Taken

59

No

J.J.

TO ROUTINE VILA TELNO PERSONAL 565 OF 12 DECEMBER AND TO

INFO HONIARA, FUNAFUTI.

INTERNAL SELF GOVERNMENT AND INTERNAL SECURITY.

مه

WA

1. THE RECENT INTERVENTION BY HMG TO RESTORE INTERNAL SECURITY IN BERMUDA SHOWS THAT IT IS POSSIBLE FOR HMG TO HAVE GRANTED A DEGREE OF INTERNAL SELF-GOVERNMENT WITHOUT RETAINING SUFFICIENT POWER TO VETO ACTIONS WHICH COULD AFFECT INTERNAL SECURITY, FOR WHICH HMG RETAIN RESPONSIBILITY. ALTHOUGH THE BERMUDA CRISIS AROSE FROM A DECISION NOT TO COMMUTE A SENTENCE OF DEATH FOR MURDER, IT IS CLEAR THAT THREATS TO INTERNAL SECURITY COULD ARISE FROM DECISIONS TAKEN BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT ABOUT MANY

OTHER MATTERS.

2. GRATEFUL IF YOU AND GOVERNOR, GILBERTS (WHERE WE UNDERSTAND THERE IS NO DEATH PENALTY) WOULD LET US KNOW WHETHER YOU STILL POSSESS SUFFICIENT POWER TO VETOANY FORESEEABLE LEGISLATIVE OR ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WHICH COULD SERIOUSLY THREATEN INTERNAL SECURITY. WE ARE LESS CONCERNED ABOUT SOLOMON ISLANDS AND TUVALU, IN VIEW OF THEIR EARLY INDEPENDENCE, AND WOULD ONLY EXPECT COMMENTS FROM THEM IF THEY FORESEE A SPECIFIC AND IMMINENT PROBLEM IN THIS FIELD.

3. (VILA ONLY) WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE BRITISH COURTS HAVE ABOLISHED THE DEATH PENALTY, WHILE IT STILL EXISTS IN THE FRENCH AND COMMON COURTS, THOUGH IN THE LAT ER YOU HAVE POWER CF VETO. WHILE HMG WOULD HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR A FRENCH DECISION TO CARRY OUT A SENTENCE OF DEATH, SOME CRITICISM WOULD RUB OFF ON US, AND WE COULD BE INVOLVED IN SUBSEQUENT POLICE ACTION. CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT THE LIKELIHOOD OF THE FRENCH ACTING IN THIS

WAY IS REMOTE?

OWEN

FILES

PDTD (6) HEYGO LEGAL ADVISERS

MR CORTAZZI

MR STRATTON

CONFIDENTIAL