TNAG-1001-FCO40-1237-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-including--Report-of-the-1981 — Page 14

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Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1A 2AH

- 1 DEC 1981

Telephone 01- 233 4475

BBR | eR

L Trachtenberg Esq

London School of Economics

and Political Schience

Houghton Street

LONDON

WC2

Your reference

Our reference

Date

27 November 1981

One cedents fox.

2. pl. obtain other cc of col

booklet. 27111.-(3 copics (brance)

When we spoke the other day, I agreed to send you some information on British Government policy towards the Dependent Territories. The Government respects the wishes of the people of the British Dependent Territories to determine their own future in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter. We are committed to the policy followed by successive Governments since 1945 of giving every help and encouragement to those Dependent Territories who wish to become independent while not forcing independence on those who do not want it. Once a Dependent Territory indicates that it wishes to move to independence, we help the territory achieve this in as rapid and orderly a manner as possible.

You asked whether I could supply precise information on the relation- ship between the Dependent Territories and the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation and the Commonwealth Foundation. Though not, of course, members in their own right, the Dependent Territories are within the Common- wealth and have access to the various functional and developmental arms of the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Foundation. I suggest that you contact Mr T W Cannell at the Secretariat and Mr R P Throssell at the Foundation; both are located in Marlborough House.

The attached booklet produced by the Central Office of Information I should be helpful. Please let me know if I can be of further

assistance.

Britain's Associated StateS + DEDENCIENCIES

B Brett Rooks (Miss)

Hong Kong & General Dept

48