TNAG-1461-FCO40-1987-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-Hong-Kong--Gibraltar-and-1986 — Page 93

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Dominican Republic have all demonstrated their preparedness to act alone when in their judgement (and irrespective of the views of others) they consider it necessary. There may be wider, trade-off arguments (eg staying in Belize because of the need for continuing US support over the Falklands), but as the case of Belize shows, this can be quite costly year on year. If the need for trade-offs with the United States is considered an important factor, this may be a valid foreign policy reason, but should be recognised for what it is. Extraneous considerations apart therefore the long term aim in the case of the Caribbean dependencies and Bermuda should remain greater rather than less movement towards independence. There is however one general

rider. A long term policy of movement towards independence should not be regarded as precluding, if this becomes necessary, temporary suspension of local powers. If this option needs to be exercised, as in the case of the Turks and Caicos, then action. needs to be timely and decisive and should be followed by a concerted plan to resume movement towards independence.

16 Even if a full federal structure for the Caribbean has to be

ruled out (see para 13 above), pressing more strongly the advantages of greater economic inter-dependence is however a different matter. This could be achieved both by exploiting the present regional institutions and by promoting new initiatives. In the former category cooperation between the Caribbean dependencies, as well as the newly independent small states in the region, could be encouraged by drawing on the experience of

the UN [? Committee of 24], CARICOM and the East Caribbean.

Common Market, to which only Montserrat and Anguilla of the dependencies currently belong. New initiatives might be considered for example in the fields of tourism and new private investment which could be promoted on a joint regional basis. Such action might inspire a greater local willingness to cooperate politically, but even if it did not the establishment

of closer economic links would be a useful end in itself.

17 For the three Atlantic and Pacific dependencies (St Helena,

St Helena Dependencies and Pitcairn) rather different

considerations apply. The costs of Pitcairn are negligible

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