TNAG-0832-FCO40-1040-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1979 — Page 60

CODE 18-77

Mr Clarke (HKGD)

CONFIDENTIAL

DECOLONISATION DESPATCH

1.

HKG.0251

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51

- 3 AUG 1979

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

Nor

my

REGISTRY Action Taken

29

nyza

WSB 025/1

32

Your minute HKG 025/1 of 27 July. I have now received a copy of Mr Quantrills minute and draft despatch of 5 July. Earlier papers on the subject this year do not seem to have reached SED.

2.

SED's concern is limited to Gibraltar. For treaty reasons, as well as political ones, Gibraltar cannot at present contemplate becoming independent. This is well known in Gibraltar. Under the treaty of Utrecht, sovereignty must be offered to Spain if it is to be given up by the British Crown. Furthermore, integration with UK has been explicitly ruled out for Gibraltar by HMG. The wishes of the people in the territories are not paramount, we also have to consider at least the wishes of the people of U.K.

3.

Paragraphs 2 and 3, and the part of paragraph 5 dealing with aid, are therefore the parts of the draft despatch of direct relevance to Gibraltar.

4.

Nevertheless, it would be wrong to address to the Governor of Gibraltar a despatch capable of misinterpretation locally. I suggest the following amendments:

(a)

(e)

f

5.

paragraph 1 line 13 after "independent" add, "or to which HMG cannot give independence". line 15 omit "immediately".

last line omit "viable".

paragraph 2 line 3, for "wishing" substitute "able and willing".

line 5, after "paramount", add "subject to treaty obligations, and the agreement of the UK parliament" paragraph 5, line 2 omit "in the immediate future". paragraph 6, line 5. Before "this" insert "Unless it

has already explicitly been ruled out in particular

cases,

年

Rather than write a long minute, may I explain these proposals on the phone?

скорт,

?

2 August 1979

CJ H Keith SED

After discussion with an Keith I have changed his amendment at (e). He paints out for example that we have not considered Gibraltarian desire for integration as paramount!

CONFIDENTIAL

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