TNAG-1461-FCO40-1987-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-Hong-Kong--Gibraltar-and-1986 — Page 77

CONFIDENTIAL

38. Although the Third World will continue to express concern about super power bases they remain prepared, particularly in the context of reports like the October 1985 CHOGM report on the Vulnerability of Small States, to accept training assistance from the United

Kingdom.

Security/Commonwealth Reaction

39. The independence option raises the question of the security of

small States. This problem has been considered in greater depth by

inter alia the Commonwealth Consultative Group established after the

1983 New Delhi CHOMG to study the Special Needs of Small States.

Commonwealth interest in the independence of Bermuda and the

Caribbean territories will therefore be considerable. It is likely

that most Third World Commonwealth countries would prefer an option

that allowed for both independence and security rather than the

status quo.

UN Reaction

40. Any change in the dependency status of the UK's territories is

likely to lead to discussion at the UN and criticism that the UK was

not fulfilling its obligations under Article 73 of the Charter:

When, in 1952 Puerto Rico (a territory listed by the US under

Article 73(e) decided to become a "Commonwealth" in association with

the US following two referenda, the UN General Assembly (by

Resolution 748) recognised that the People of Puerto Rico had

achieved a new constitutional status and had exercised their right

to self determination. Such UN recognition would not be granted

today. The recent UK decision to cease cooperation with the

Committee of 24 is also likely to attract some criticism in UN

quarters. But UN attention on UK Dependent Territories is likely to

be concentrated on the Falklands in the foreseeable future.

CONFIDENTIAL

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