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No.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
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PRIVACY MARKING
DRAFT
NOTE
To:-
..In Confidence
PACE OF INDEPENDENCE
1.
Type 1 +
From
Telephone No. Ext.
Department
DSKII
The "Accelerated Decolonisation" policy is referred to in
the then Secretary of State's despatch HX 2/1 of 13 June 1975 (flag B).
A PQ dated 21 January 1976 on independence proposals is at flag C.
2.
The process of decolonisation since 1947 has been difficult.
Each country to be given its independence has had to be taken through
complex and often difficult stages of internal re-organisation and
constitutional exercises including considerable expenditure on
settlement grants and aid. Nor have the results of independence
always been entirely satisfactory from our point of view.
3.
However, the principle of decolonisation was accepted by Colonial powers under the United Nations charter and we have in
the intervening years worked towards the eventual independence of
our remaining Depencies of which 18 remain. They are comparatively
small territories which мxx for various reasons have not developed
at the same pace as larger formerly British dominions and colonies
which are now independent. Obviously there are many difficult problems involed; some territories are very small, with tiny
populations and consequent economic difficulties; others are in
remote isolated areas; some have political problems, while other
inter are by way of being factors in/national disputes (Belize, Falkland Islands, Hong Kong and Gibraltar). In the main the latter territories
themain
Sauki..
will require long and difficult negotiations
?
some possibly an
UN auspicies.
14.
Dd 108087 400M S&K 1/77
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