TNAG-1117-FCO40-1391-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1982 — Page 186

M

(ii)

CONFIDENTIAL

9

DSR 11C

We tend to be in a small minority of white

Commonwealth countries at Commonwealth

meetings, and do not even always get the support

of Canada and Australia, who see the Commonwealth

as providing an opportunity for them to act as

a bridge between North and South. We therefore

tend to have to defend our policies to states

who do not really matter, and because of the

Commonwealth tradition of consensus, to be party

to statements with which we donot agree.

(iii) The informality of Commonwealth bilateral

relationships can be a hindrance as well as

help.

Countries can come to expect too much

of us, and to react if we fall short of their

expectations: Malaysia may be a case in point.

(iv)

The Commonwealth costs us £8 million a year.

15. These disadvantages are not seriously detrimental

to our interests. They do not outweigh the advantages;

nor do they justify our seeking to leave the Commonwealth.

Nonetheless they do point up that the Commonwealth is

something of a mixed blessing.

Anything we could do to

tilt the balance further in our favour by maximising the

benefits to us of the Commonwealth and minimising its costs

would clearly be welcome.

1

"...

16.

However our ability to bring about change in the

Commonwealth is limited. We have deliberately given up its

/leadership