TNAG-0832-FCO40-1040-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1979 — Page 9

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3.

The first of these points raises the question of whether we shou now change the policy that has been followed by successive British Governments since 1945 of respecting the

wishes of those territories that want to remain as depend-

encies. Hong Kong and General Department are at present pre- paring a draft memorandum on policy towards the Dependent Territories for submission to Ministers. As at present drafted, the memorandum reiterates the standard formula that, while we can offer assistance and encouragement to terri-

tories wishing to become independent, we do not force indep-

endence on territories that do not want it. while I do not

think there can be any question of forcing independence on anybody, Ministers may wish to consider adding a gloss to the existing policy to make it clear that, while not applying direct pressure, we shall do everything possible to encourage territories that we believe capable of sustaining independence to move towards it. The arguments for and against this will be set out in more detail when the memorandum is submitted

for Ministers' consideration.

4. On the second point, I am asking the departments concerned to consider whether we are keeping other Governments in the Caribbean area as dully informed as is desirable of our plans for the future of the remaining Lependent Territories, and whether everything feasible is being done to promote regional

cooperation.

5. On the third point, I believe the suspicion to be under- standable but unjustified. The sneaker who made the point most forcibly himself quoted an example (the Gilbert islands) where we quite clearly did not allow ourselves to be blinkered by precedents. lossibly the misapprehension arose because we chose to present the question of the future of our remaining Dependent Territories as a continuation of the decolonisation process that started with india in 1947. But it does not follow from this that we automatically adopt the same course in every case, and I hope that we persuaded the participants in the seminar that we do indeed retain the necessary flexibility.