DSR 11C (Revised 5/87)
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There are, however, real difficulties in meeting
Australian wishes and by extension similar demands
from other Commonwealth countries. As the Lord
Chancellor notes, to do this could expose us to a
host of requests from other countries for the
permanent loan of originals of documents in
British records, including revived claims from
former British territories for their independence
and pre-independence legislation. The Indians in
particular would like to get their hands on
originals of British legislation and other papers
on India. The Pakistanis and Bangladeshis have
lodged similar claims and the Burmese too have an
interest in the India office records. The
Canadians would certainly make an early bid since
we turned down their request in 1981 for an
original copy of the British North America Act
1867. (The Canadians were given a fine facsimile
copy of their Act, just as we have given the
Australians a facsimile of theirs). The Chinese
Government have asked us to hand over not only the
archives held in Hong Kong but also our own
archives concerning the territory on the standard
Colonial argument that archives and territory are
inseperable.
Although we could attempt to be very selective in
what we agree to hand over to Commonwealth
countries the Foreign Secretary agrees with the
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.