TNAG-0714-FCO40-910-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1978 — Page 84

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INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION SPRING MEETING

NON-SELF-GOVERNING COMMITTEE

BRITISH POLICY TOWARDS OUR DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

TALKING POINTS

SELF-DETERMINATION

1.

Britain respects the wishes of the peoples of our remaining Dependent Territories to determine their own future in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter. We will give every encourage- ment and support to those Territories which seek independence, but we shall not force it on those which, for reasons of their own, do not seek it.

2.

Certain members of the international community still maintain that self-determination does not automatically mean independence, and certainly not independence in spite of the expressed wishes to the contrary of the peoples of the Territory concerned. The problems of small island Territories are not necessarily ones which can be solved simply by the granting of independence. What may be appropriate to one Territory is not necessarily appropriate to another.

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

3.

Britain believes that the right to self-determination involves a flexible response on its part to the way in which constitutional development takes place according to the wishes of the peoples of our Territories. The pace of constitutional advance must be in line with what the people want, rather than with any artificial framework imposed by Britain as the administering power, or by anyone else.

4. Once the majority of the population of a Dependent Territory indicates by means of a general election or referendum that they wish to move to independence, Britain helps them to achieve this in as rapid and orderly a manner as possible. Early consultation takes place between Britain and the Government of the Territory seeking independence to ensure that the independent state will be both politically and economically viable.

ECONOMIC AID/INVESTMENT