CAB148-30-Defence and Oversea Policy Committee Meetings Relating to 1967 Disturbances-1967 — Page 95

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United Nations, where the phrase "free association" had a special meaning involving full internal self-government as well as the right to opt for independence. This was not in accordance with our interests and intentions

for Gibraltar. Such a proposal would also have far-reaching effects in damaging the bona fides of our decolonisation policy elsewhere. Moreover, by confronting Spain with a policy (self-determination for the Gibraltarians) which we knew she would not accept we should spoil our chances of neutralising

the United Nations and expose the Gibraltarians to further Spanish

if

retaliation. We were in fact in a strong position because we were willing

and anxious to meet the interests and wishes of the people of Gibraltar:

they wished to retain the status quo we should stand on this and we could

fairly maintain that this represented decolonisation in reality. The second option in the proposed referendum should be phrased so as to make it clear

that under the new Constitution our continuing responsibilities in Gibraltar

would necessitate ultimate authority remaining in British hands. The

referendum should also make it clear that the Gibraltarians would retain

the option to choose association with Spain at a later date.

It was,

In discussion there was general agreement that, subject to the

consultation proposed by the Foreign Secretary, we should plan to hold a

referendum this year which would give the Gibraltarians a choice between

passing under Spainish sovereignty and remaining in some form of association with the United Kingdom. There was also general agreement that this form

of association must in practice either be the present constitution of

Gibraltar or approximate closely to it. It was also agreed that since we

should thereby be meeting the interests and wishes of the people of

Gibraltar, this course represented the reality of decolonisation.

however, the general view that there would be objection to describing a

constitution which would necessarily retain a substantial degree of United

Kingdom control of internal affairs as "free association" in view of the

precise and different significance which this term had acquired at the

United Nations. It was also the general view that it would be equally

undesirable to describe the second option in the proposed referendum in the terms suggested in OPD(67) 17. Bearing in mind not only the present

situation in Gibraltar, but also the position which was likely to develop

in relation to decolonisation of the remaining dependent territories, we

should seek to devise a new term for continuing association with the United

Kingdom. This term should clearly imply that decolonisation meant granting

to the inhabitants of a dependent territory a constitutional status which

met their wishes and that if they freely chose the constitutional status quo

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