TNAG-1461-FCO40-1987-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-Hong-Kong--Gibraltar-and-1986 — Page 10

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Allies nor regional powers like Australia have shown a

willingness to take over formal obligations that would

increase their own defence outgoings and liabilities and risk a "neo-colonial" stigma.

The arguments in favour of relieving ourselves of

responsibility for the territories on the whole reflect a British national interest. Those against reflect a wider Western interest or changing attitudes to decolonisation. Thus it has become simultaneously more costly for the UK to maintain its parental relationship with the dependent territories, and more difficult to relinquish responsibility in a way that would be viewed as responsible in the UK, in the territories themselves and by our major allies, particularly the US. This is the essence of the dilemma over the future of the territories. should the circle be squared?

How

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TERRITORIES UNDER CONSIDERATION IN THIS PAPER

Of the remaining 17 dependent territories there are several the future of which is constrained, or determined, by policy decisions already taken. Hong Kong, the Falklands, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands, Gibraltar and the British Antarctic Territory (BAT) are all sui generis, and especially sensitive, cases and are excluded from further discussion in this paper. The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) is also excluded. Treaty obligations guarantee the US facilities there until 2016 and Ministers recently confirmed that there should be no major change of status in present circumstances, though alternative (currently hypothetical) options should be kept in mind should developments affecting the islands alter the balance of the argument in their favour. The UK must also avoid action in any of the other ten dependent territories which could materially prejudice our case on the sensitive or special ones listed above (eg ceding to a foreign claim without regard for inhabitants wishes). However the circumstances surrounding these ten territories are sufficiently different to leave us reasonable room for manoeuvre over their future without prejudicing the position of the other seven.

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