TNAG-0832-FCO40-1040-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1979 — Page 4

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1. PS/

Mr Stratton

2.

Riverto

HILG 025/1

ELZAYED IN HISTRY NC. 51 25 JAN 1930

HICER

ELERNTIAL

REGISTRY Action, Taken

Ps,

42

his free.

Ps/thed_ BS) Witate

Sce

1980

A

POLICY TOWARDS THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

Problem

1. To determine general Government policy towards the remaining

Dependent Territories.

Recommendation

2.

I recommend that Ministers should approve the guidelines set

out in the attached Memorandum. Except in the most general terms

it does not deal with Hong Kong, Belize, Gibraltar and the Falkland

Islands, all of which are special cases.

Background and Argument

3.

Ministers have not yet had occasion to consider their general

policy towards our remaining Dependent Territories (listed at

Annex A). They will be aware from separate papers of the problems,

including those of security, that have arisen in the Caribbean area.

Partly as a result of these developments, the Governors of the

Caribbean territories in particular need guidance about the

Government's policy over decolonisation.

4.

A Memorandum on colonial policy is attached. For the most

part this is a re-statement of the broad policy that has been

followed, with changes of emphasis, by successive Governments

since 1945. The only slight departure is in the second section

which deals with the minimum powers which the British Government

should retain. The Memorandum proposes a somewhat tougher line

than the one which has been followed in recent years. The list

of powers to be retained in paragraph 2 has been drawn up after

consultation with Governors and with the geographical departments

directly concerned.

CONFIDENTIAL

/5.