TNAG-0714-FCO40-910-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1978 — Page 195

57

HKC 025 (77)

Mr Quatll

Mr Stewart

CONFIDENTIAL

541971

Reference

HKG 025/2

BERIVED IN REC

11 JAN 1978

She /1/2/78/ J

LESK OFFICER

Iter IN

REVIEW OF POLICY ON ACCELERATED DECOLONISATION

1.

PA

J.J.

ND. 51

REGISTRY Action Take

&

In paragraph 2 of his minute of 6 December 1977 addressed to Mr Stewart, Mr Cortazzi indicated that in light of the disturbances in Bermuda following the executions of Burrows and Tacklyn, a review should be undertaken on our current policies on decolonisation and Mr Cortazzi commented that "responsibility without power is surely the first thing we should try to avoid. How far have we already gone in granting internal self-government without retaining the power to veto actions which could affect internal security for which we retain responsibility in other colonies have we got into a position in which we could not exercise sort of veto we use in the Turks and Caicos ... we should analyse the position in our remaining territories and study the implications for our policy on accelerated decolonisation".

2. At a meeting attended by Messrs Posnett (Dependent Territories Adviser), Quantrill, Dale (WIAD), Beattie (DTEU), and myself, held in Mr Dale's room on Thursday, 5 January, we discussed the outline of a draft paper which I had prepared, reviewing our policy on decolonisation. We identified the following as those DTS requiring further study: Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat and Turks and Caicos. Mr Dale will now look into these particular territories and will endeavour to provide a draft for consideration regarding those territories around the end of this month. I have informed Mr Dale that Miss Wills of my section can assist him with research if necessary. During the course of the meeting a number of suggestions were made regarding my draft paper and these suggestions will be incorporated in the revised draft which will be produced following Mr Dale's research.

3. I am copying this to Miss Binns, Planning Staff and to Mr Sanders, Director of Research, so that they may be aware of the review and so that they can arrange to let me have any papers which they may consider relevant to this project.

4.

Copies of this minute together with the outline of the draft paper referred to above go to PDTD, SAmD (Falklands) MCD (Belize), SED (Gibraltar), Mr Thompson (HKGD (Hong Kong), in addition to Miss Binns and Mr Sanders. May I receive any comments which they may wish to make on my draft paper by Friday, 27 January.

CODE 18-77

$5 10/76

9 January 1978

cc: Distribution:

CONFIDENTIAL

Mr Posnett ( Adviser W81) Mr Snodgrass (PDTD K229A) Mr Dale (WIAD K223)

Mr Collins (MCD K365A

Belize)

J. Justy.

J Jasper

Hong Kong & General Dept K 270

233 4069

Mr Hickson (SAmD K274 Falklands) Mr Brown (SED W134A Gibraltar) Mr Thompson (HKGD K245 Hong Kong) Miss Binns Planning Staff W10) Mr Beattie DTEU G71C/G) Mr Sanders Research Dpt G6/3)

Page 195Page 196

Registry

No.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top Secret.

Secret.

Confidential.

Restricted.

Unclassified.

PRIVACY MARKING