TNAG-0832-FCO40-1040-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1979 — Page 168

Registry No.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top Secret,

Secret.

Confidential.

Restricted.

Unclassified.

PRIVACY MARKING

In Confidence

CONFIDENTIAL

DRAFT

TERRITORIAL SURVEY

Type 1 +

From

To:-

Telephone No. Ext.

Department

DSR 11

TERRITORY: ST HELENA (including Ascension and Tristan da

POPULATION: 6,500

Cunha)

SPECIAL FACTORS:

Isolation

PROSPECTS FOR INDEPENDENCE:

St Helena is heavily dependent on budgetary aid. (Tristan da Cunha is self-supporting.) There is no desire for independence among the Islanders who are strongly attached to the UK. No major constitutional changes are envisaged.

POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES TO INDEPENDENCE:

Only possibility is

integration with Britain if that becomes politically acceptable.

RECOMMENDED POLICY: To accept that St Helena and its depen- dencies, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, will remain dependent on UK for foreseeable future. Ascension is an important strategic base and its detachment from UK is not an option. Tristan da Cunha is small and should remain attached to UK.

CONFIDENTIAL