TNAG-1218-FCO40-1523-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1983 — Page 152

The Antarctic Treaty is geared to territory where there is no permanent population. Direct application of its provisions would not meet the situation of the Falkland Islanders. The Treaty is a carefully constructed and specialised instrument of great value, but it was not designed to meet situations such as the Falklands dispute and it would be wrong to risk de-stabilising its regime.

SUBMISSION OF THE DISPUTE TO THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

55. Successive British Governments have had no doubts about the validity of their sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Britain has on a number of occasions, in 1947, 51, 53 and 55, sought to submit the dispute concerning the Dependencies to the ICJ. However, Argentina has shown no interest in referring the issue of sovereignty over the Falkland Islands to the International Court of Justice and the British Government have never proposed it.

NATIONALITY

56. That is a question for my Rt Hon friend the Home Secretary. [IF PRESSED: The Bill introduced by my noble Friend Baroness Vickers to confer British citizenship on the Falklanders was given a Third Reading on 11 March without amendment. If it becomes law it will confer British citizenship, and with it the right of abode in the United Kingdom, on some 400 persons who would not otherwise acquire it, though my right hon Friend announced in April that no Falkland Islander would have any difficulty over admission to the United Kingdom whether he had a right of abode or not].

FRANKS REPORT: QUESTIONS ABOUT BRITISH INTELLIGENCE MATTERS

57. As the Prime Minister said in her statement in the House on 18 January, the government accepted that the references to intelligence matters in the report of the Falkland Islands review committee were necessary for a full understanding of the issues on which the committee was asked to report. That does not, however, invalidate the general rule that such matters should not generally be divulged. I do not, therefore, intend to depart from my practice, following the practice of my predecessors, not to answer questions on security and intelligence matters.

COST OF DEVELOPMENT (SHACKLETON) PROGRAMME

58. The cost of the programme outlined to the House on 8 December is tentatively estimated at £31 million over six years.

MAIN ELEMENTS OF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

59. The main elements of the programme outlined to the House on 8 December were the establishment of a Falkland Islands Development Agency; the expansion of the Grasslands Trials Unit; a feasibility study on an improved harbour complex; the completion of the Stanley-Darwin road and improvement of existing tracks; a pilot scheme for salmon-ranching and a survey of shellfish resources;