CONFIDENTIAL
Registry
No.
DRAFT MINUTE
CURITY CLASSIFICATION
SECRETARY OF STATE
To:-
Top Secret,
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted.
Unclassified.
RIVACY MARKING
Type 1 +
From PUS
Telephone No. Ext.
Department
.............In Confidence
GIBRALTAR
1.
interpuration
put
مي
in confidence
and in my
wend
more
The
informally
The better
The FCO Inspectors have been reviewing the work of the Joint FCO/ODM Departments and Southern European Department. 2. I have accepted on grounds both of economy and efficiency recommendations which inter alia involve disbanding Gibraltar & General Department. Apart from Aid work, which the ODM will now take on with continuing political guidance from SED all responsibility for Gibraltar affairs will be consolidated in SED, who already handle the colony's external affairs.
3. Although purely an internal re-organisation we cannot ignore the political/twist which the Gibraltarians are prone to give to any action we take. They could interpret the merger as evidence of a wish to push them towards Spain. But I believe that if carefully handled and timed we can avoid any
to
in
real-risk to our relations with Gibraltar. relations with Gibraltar.
Certainly we have
more to fear from the possible closure of the Gibraltar dockyard. The first and most important step will be for the Governor to let Sir Joshua Hassan know/informally andin eenfidence what we have in mind. Provide his reaction K
too not unfavourable then we would expect to go ahead with these administrative moves before the Spring. I hope you BAR agree to us proceeding accordingly. Clearly if Sir J Hassan's reaction not favourable we may have to think again. But
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