TNAG-0714-FCO40-910-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1978 — Page 188

CONFIDENTIAL

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isheries,

equipment, know-how and manpower. The aim would be intensive development of agriculture, small-scale industries, tourism and other appropriate aspects of local economies.

Housing and Health Services would be improved; the training of technicians, police and civil servants would be carried out so that local people could eventually take over from expatriates. At the same time there would be a steady devolution of internal powers and a definite date set for independence.

Commonwealth Involvement c

13. There are difficulties inherent in the course just

outlined, not least our ability to allow our Aid Policy to provide sufficient Aid funds and manpower. So there is a case for involving the Commonwealth in these last stages of decolonisation. It is quite possible that some Commonwealth

countries would be able to provide financial and technical

help, political advisers, and perhaps contribute to a Common Defence Plan. Mr Stanley had begun a dialogue with the Commonwealth Secretariat on these questions; further discussions along these lines could be very useful, perhaps

culminating in a joint meeting of Commonwealth and Dependent Territories' representatives. Some of the richer and more developed Commonwealth members may well be interested:

in such cooperation.

United Nations Involvement

14.

We should identify those Territories where independence is never going to be an option and begin the process outlined by Mr Ivor Richard last May of getting them off the UN Committee of 24's books by enlisting UN aid in working

out an internationally acceptable form of self-determination.