HW 021/1
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
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Dear PatrickEMPTION No
FUTURE OF DEPENDENT TERRITORIES
UNDER FOI
Tamarisk Cottage
Kirk Hammerton York Y05 8DA
14:10:78
how tone!
I.offer some not very new or original thoughts on your circular HW5 021/1 of 4 August, a copy of which was sent to me with your letter of 11 September.
The remaining dependent territories I would divide into 3 categories:
1. Those which can be guided to independence eg the Associated States. There will be problems before and after but the path is well trodden and no new philosophy is needed.
2.
w/85
It
3. Those which refuse or cannot be given independence. seems this category presents the real and as yet unsolved problem. of disection. No doubt there will have to be an individual solution for each territory and a common philosophy may he not possible to find; however the territories do seem to share common difficulties (except for St Helena).
They have been given advanced constitutions, ministerial forms of Government with much devolved power, and ministers are required to be consulted on all facets of government. This invites movement to independence, for the appetites for power have been excited and are greedy for more; but independence has been held impossible,so there is conflict and both the territory and the administering power are unhappy in their relationship. This situation is the worse because respect for the administering power has been lost and in the international climate (and indeed in the UK climate itself) it is difficult and embarrassing for a Government to show firmness.
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