TNAG-0926-FCO40-1144-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1980 — Page 214

DSR 11 (Revised)

DRAFT:

PERSONAL AND

CONFIDENTIAL

minute/letter/teleketter/despatch/note

TYPE: Draft/Final 1+

FROM:

Mr Stratton

DEPARTMENT:

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HKGD

SUBJECT:

POLICY TOWARDS THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

1. I enclose a memorandum setting out the basic policy

of the present Government towards the dependent overseas

territories. This has been approved by the Secretary of

State as the basis for guidance to Officers Administering

Governments.

2.

For the most part, the memorandum restates the

broad lines of policy that have been followed by

successive Governments since 1945. It does, however, lay

down a somewhat tougher line than has sometimes been

followed in the past on the question of what powers can

be delegated to local governments in territories that opt

to remain dependent.

3. The views of Governors were, of course, taken into

account in preparing the memorandum. It would, however,

be helpful to know if any of the policy as states is likely

to cause problems in your territory. I should stress that

the memorandum does not apply to those territories, eg

Hong Kong, the Falkland Islands, Belize and Gibraltar,

where relations with a neighbouring foreign power inhibit

in any case an 'orderly move to independence.

PERSONALD

CONDIDERTANE

/4.

66-8† Dd 0632078 12/78 [1 Ltd Bly