TNAG-1461-FCO40-1987-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-Hong-Kong--Gibraltar-and-1986 — Page 2

CONFIDENTIAL

HKK OR5

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

10 DEC 1986

DESK OFFICER INDEX

Mr Fearn

Mr Gillmore

PS/Lady Young

PA

REGISTRY

[Action Takén

From:

Date:

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Miss L P Neville-Jones Planning Staff

5 November 1986

see attached list

3.

LAST PAPER

THE FUTURE OF THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

1. In his minute of 3 July the APS/Lady Young asked Planning Staff to take a closer interest in the question of the future of the dependent territories; subsequently it was agreed that we should prepare a paper to complement the work of Research Department on theoretical options for the territories. I now submit the two papers with separate copies for Mr Fearn and Mr Gillmore to retain. The Planning Staff paper has been prepared in close collaboration with Research Department, WIAD and other interested FCO departments. ODA officials have also been consulted. They have agreed the paper's conclusions and recommendations and are now submitting the paper to Mr Patten. regret that there may appear to be a lot of paper to read. of the material is designed for use by the specialists in the field and I suggest that Ministers and senior officials might initially limit themselves to the body of the Planning Staff paper (without Annexes) and the introductory sections of the Research Department paper.

Much

2. The main conclusion of our paper is that HMG should move more vigorously than hitherto to promote independence in the five Caribbean territories and Bermuda and recommends ways in which this might be achieved. This is suggested in the belief that a continuing, and indefinite, security commmitment in this region is no longer in the UK's interests and that in the long term such a commitment leaves open the chance of significant extra costs. These we believe are avoidable if action is taken now to move the territories to independence. Compulsion is not recommended, though the territories should be more actively encouraged and persuaded than at present to move in the direction of independence. An important aspect of the policy would be to ensure, in consultation particularly with the US, that adequate alternative security arrangements are available for the newly dependent territories. Equally the paper suggests that emphasis will need to be placed on constitutional and political development in the territories prior to independence.

CONFIDENTIAL