TNAG-1218-FCO40-1523-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1983 — Page 198

General Policy

V

CONFIDENTIAL

W15

HIND-

MEMORANDUM

Тлашк

POLICY TOWARDS THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

必

you

47

The present British Government are fully committed to the policy followed by successive Governments since 1945 of giving every help and encouragement to those Dependent Territories which wish to

become independent, while not forcing independence on those which do

not want it. Wherever independence is feasible, we will seek to create the conditions which will make it a realistic and desirable objective. Where local governments have made it clear that they do not wish their territories to become independent, we are content to retain sovereignty for the time being. [But we must also retain the legal powers necessary to ensure that we are able to fulfil the responsibilities that sovereignty entails] Obviously some of the provisions set out below do not apply in those territories where Anternational political considerations rule out the possibility of

independence, or rule it out for the present. In these territories, wale: include in varying degrees and circumstances, Hong Kong, the

Palaland Islands and their Dependencies, Belize and Gibraltar, we will

Book the most suitable arrangements for the territories' administration.

Each case will be considered on its merits, bearing in mind the con-

traints imposed by external political circumstances and the wishes of the local population.

Powers to be retained by the British Government

Responsibility and power must go together. Political development must therefore stop some way short of full internal self-government

where territories choose to remain dependent. In such cases the

ritish Government, through the Governor, will retain overall respon- sibility for:-"

(i) external affairs;

(ii) defence;

(iii), internal security, including administration of the police;

(iv) the administration of the public service;

(v) the judiciary.

13.