TNAG-0714-FCO40-910-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1978 — Page 9

Mr Martin (Private Office) - for Mr Rowlanda.

Attached Notes on the Future of the Small Dependencies (excluding

Hong Kong).

The Minister asked me, as I understood, for comments, observations

and any useful additional material on the above subject under three

main heads;-

1. General historical background, especially relating to the

time and circumstances and purpose of our acquisition of these

remaining Small Dependencies (hereafter referred to as S.D's),

the wide differences between them in those respects, and such

côntinuing differences as bear upon our relations with them or

interest in them;

2. The history or tradition of our internal constitutional polic-

ies in the colonial territories generally, especially ow rigid

attachment to the Westminster model', and how far its suit-

ability has been questioned, particularly in relation to these

S.D'8.j

3. Some summary or assessment of the policy options at present

open to us in regard to the future status of these S.D's.

I have set out the attached notes under these headings, but, owing to limited time, they have had to be brief. Especially so has this been with Section IV. on the present situation and options for policy open-

intended to us now. I had, however, for that Section/to draw largely on the most recent and (in my view) most comprehensive and competent study of that - the P.A.R. Report of 1973, which also made deductions and predictions up to 1978, but time has not allowed me to do this. The Report is, however, short (though its sections on individual territories longer)

and, I think, may easily be assimilated by the Minister.

I have prefaced my Notes with some general Observations' which may be of use to the Minister, if only for speech-making purposes.

L. Branney (FCO, RD):

10 May 1978.