TNAG-1001-FCO40-1237-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-including--Report-of-the-1981 — Page 34

PP CARACAS

PP HAVANA

PP KINGSTON

PP PORT OF SPAIN

PP GEORGETOWN

HKS

02512

(43)

SUGARY NO. 5!

FR 1991

DESK OFICER

INDEX

PA

Pistion Tæk

UNCLASSIFIED

по nd ont

сп

6945

P.l. inter opa. an

Ficture

دآلو

2114

PP BRIDGETOWN

GRS 730

UNCLASSIFIED

FM FCO 161200Z APR 81

TO PRIORITY CERTAIN MISSIONS AND DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

TELEGRAM NUMBER GUIDANCE 42 OF 16 APRIL 1981

BELIZE/GUATEMALA:

GUIDANCE TELNO 123 OF 2 DECEMBER 1980 AND

GUIDANCE TELNO 31 REFER.

1. THIS GUIDANCE OUTLINES LATEST DEVELOPMENTS AND MAY BE DRAWN ON

AS NECESSARY.

CONSTITUTIONAL CONFERENCE

2. THE BELIZE CONSTITUTIONAL CONFERENCE WAS HELD AT MARLBOROUGH

HOUSE ON 6-14 APRIL AND WAS ATTENDED ON THE BELIZE SIDE BY A

DELEGATION OF FIVE MINISTERS LED BY THE DEPUTY PREMIER ROGERS.

THE BELIZE OPPOSITION WERE INVITED TO ATTEND BUT DECLINED. THE

BELIZE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS FOR AN INDEPENDENCE CONSTITUTION

WERE FULLY DISCUSSED AND AGREED WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS. THEY

WILL APPEAR IN THE CONFERENCE REPORT WHICH WILL SHORTLY BE

PUBLISHED AS A COMMAND PAPER AND WHICH WILL PROVIDE THE PASIS

FOR THE CONSTITUTION TO BE SUBMITTED TO PARLIAMENT.

3.

THE CONSTITUTION WILL PRESERVE THE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM AND

INSTITUTIONS WHICH HAVE SERVED BELIZE WELL DURING ITS 17 YEARS

OF INTERNAL SELF GOVERNMENT. IT WILL INCLUDE A COMPREHENSIVE

SECTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS BASED ON THE RELEVANT

UNITED NATIONS COVENANTS AND SIMILAR TO THE CORRESPONDING SECTIONS

OF THE CONSTITUTIONS OF OTHER COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES, PARTICULARLY

THOSE IN THE CARIBBEAN. ONE INSTITUTIONAL INNOVATION WILL BE THE

CREATION OF A BELIZE ADVISORY COUNCIL WHOSE FUNCTIONS WILL INCLUDE

/SUCH MATTERS

1

UNCLASSIFIED