TNAG-0714-FCO40-910-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1978 — Page 23

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compromise (even if only ultimate compromise) clear, that would have a powerfully moderating (and realistic) effect on the settler attitude;

as

e knowledge that one has got to compromise and make terms does, Bacon said of death, "wonderfully concentrate the mind" and would better

dispose them to make, or prepare for, the necessary adjustments.

Guarantees of a satisfactory nature would, of course, be necessary and

my next point may offer some help on that.

(c) In 1967 we, in Research Dept, prepared a lengthy study of this

matter of guarantees secured for the inhabitants (British and otherwise)

in territories which we had ceded to foreign Powers in the last 70 years.

It was occasioned by the Falkland Isles case but dealt in particular with

the Heliogland cession to Imperial Germany in 1890, with the guarantees

demanded, terms for citizenship etc military obligations etc stipulated,

and, not least, with their subsequent effectiveness. Should that Paper

have been forgotten, it might be useful to look at again, and it should

be added here that the circumstance of being ceded to the Imperial Germany

to of the 1890's was not a more favourable prospect, I suspect, that/present

Spain or even Argentina but that is not said, of course, in any way to

judge the issue itself.

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(d) Lastly, if, as appears especially from some of the minutes with the

Minister's Paper, we have to continue to show such deference in these.

difficult matters, to the U.N. and the Committee of 24, (and more especially

if some of that body's attitude is motivated only by a desire to keep

their jobs as Mr Richards' despatch suggests at one point), it would seem

desirable for us to insist on a closer cooperation of the U.N. with us

both in the deliberations necessary to decide the future of these places

(their influence might, e.g., help considerably in encouraging associat- ions of some of them with other neighbouring states) and, more important,

with the execution of those decisions in practical terms (aid etc).

L. Branney. (FCO., R.D.)

10 May 1978.