TNAG-0834-FCO40-1042-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Office-seminar-on-the-future-of-Bri-1979 — Page 131

Mr Strattor

Stratton

SEMINAR ON THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

No

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1. As requested, I attach a list showing those who have accepted invitations to participate in next month's seminar and those from whom replies are still awaited.

2. You may find it helpful to know how things stand on the rest of the preparations for the seminar. We have now completed drafting the basic background paper (on which you commented last week) and shall be despatching copies to participants shortly. Mr Ridley has confirmed that he hopes to participate in the introductory session on Monday. evening, and remain overnight at least until lunchtime on Tuesday. I am working on the draft of a keynote speech for him to deliver at the Monday evening session.

3. We have had a poor response to our call for volunteers to Lead the discussions at the working sessions. Sir Bruce Greatbatch has agreed to preside over the session on aid,

and I expect that Mr Selwyn can be persuaded to do the same for the session on the problems of small island states. But we have got nowhere with finding bear-leaders for the other sessions. We shall be giving some further thought to this.

4. We shall also soon start work on tying up the administrative details - confirming travel and accommodation arrangements, finalising the programme and getting it printed, etc. I suggest that soon after your return from leave, we should have a meeting of FCO participants in order to consider such things as how the sessions are to be conducted, whether a record of the discussions is to be kept, and if so in what form, and to whom it should be distributed, etc. In the meantime, I have noted your request for a list showing when each of the members of the Commonwealth attained independence, and shall ensure that this is ready for you on your return.

29 August 1979

Thank you.

W.E. Onantill

W E Quantrill

Hong Kong and General Department

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