HWG
Royal Commission
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MCockerham
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Secretary of State
cretary
BERMUDA
1. At my request, Sir Antony Duff visited Bermuda last week and spent many hours in discussion with the Governor. He has submitted a detailed report, with which I need not trouble you, but which has enabled me to identify certain respects in which the Department failed to service the Governor adequately during the weeks before the executions. Sir A Duff and I can discuss his with you this afternoon, if you wish.
2.
The effect of these depar nental failures, coupled with the trauma of the successive last-minute appeals for a reprieve which were made during the 24 hours before the executions, and the tensions of the two weeks following the executions, had left the Covernor with the feeling that his difficulties were not fully understood within the FCO; and that he lacked our support. It was, I think, highly important to restore contact with him and his confidence in us. I believe that Sir A Duff's visit will have achieved this and that the Governor, as he turns his attention to the future, will how feel sure of our backing and support.
3.
3
The Governor is seeking agreement of both political parties to setting up an enquiry into the disturbances. He intends that this board of enquiry, although it may have an outside Chairman, show .d be composed of Bermudans. He hopes that it may serve as means to the end of restoring a useful political d..alogue in the island and will enable him to resume his work of trying to create a political climate in which the question of independence will be sensibly discussed and a consensus may begin to emerge.
4. I think it would be worth our while (and good for him) to bring him home for consultation in a few weeks' time, and I propose to arrange this.
HKG 38671 нка
RECE
16 JAN 1978
2.51
Pacin
iitaul
3/1
Ix
406
INDEX
TKY
cto Taken
No 1 & 1 &
21 December 1977
Michael Palliser
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Six P. will allend muslilume on > Felinary
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CONFIDENTIAL
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