TNAG-0926-FCO40-1144-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1980 — Page 215

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PERSONAL AND

CONFIDENTIAL

4.

At present the memorandum is a United Kingdom

classified paper. We should like, however, to downgrade

it so that copies can at least be made available to local

Ministers or legislatures. There may be advantage in

giving it even wider circulation, both in the Dependent

Territories themselves and in Britain. I should be grate-

ful for your advice on this. Are there any changes which

you believe should be made before the memorandum is more

widely disseminated? On the face of it, it is a

perfectly straightforward statement of policy, and I see

no reason why it should not be made generally known.

We would, of course, ensure that, if this were done,

the special position of Hong Kong and the other

'political' territories was made clear.

5.

One additional factor which could accelerate wider

dissemination is that Ministers may decide that the

memorandum should be given to the House of Commons Select

Committee on Foreign Affairs which will almost certainly

be looking at the problem of Dependent Territories during

the year.

Since the Committee's activities are normally

open this would amount to publication in the United

Kingdom. We will, of course, keep you informed about

this.

PERSONAL AND

CONTIDENTIAL