MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Straw outlines strategic priority for OT

“Security and good governance of the United Kingdom's Overseas Territories” is one of the eight international strategic priorities identified in the British Government White Paper that sets the overall strategy of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office over the next five to ten years.

The paper laid before Parliament this Wednesday by Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and entitled "UK International Priorities: A strategy for the FCO" describes how the FCO intends to work with others and through its network of over 200 diplomatic missions abroad to help the British government meet these aims.

In his written statement to Parliament Mr. Straw said "this is a time of significant change in international relations. Domestic and international policy are becoming ever more intertwined as a result of globalisation, travel and technological advance. As a consequence, what happens abroad is of more immediate concern to all of us. The FCO will need to work systematically with other Government departments and with people outside Government including Parliamentarians, businesses, Trade Unions, NGOs and the media.'

'The issues are also changing. We have made great progress since the end of the cold war in achieving stability and democracy in Europe. But 11 September 2001 underlined in the starkest way that we needed to pay close attention to new problems and threats elsewhere in the world, which affect the security and prosperity of the UK and other countries. That message was most recently reinforced by the tragic events in Istanbul on 15 and 20 November 2003.

'The FCO Strategy analyses the ways in which we expect the world to change in the years ahead. I shall welcome public debate of this analysis. It concludes, among other things, that our foreign policy should focus on a broad agenda of issues with global impact: they include countering terrorism and weapons proliferation, acting to prevent state failure and climate change, and dealing effectively with poverty, corruption and conflict.'

'We shall need to build a wider, shared international understanding of how best to deal with these problems. They affect us all. We cannot afford to stand back from them. The UK must remain diplomatically active and engaged, and be able to exert global influence through diplomacy, advice, persuasion, aid and other economic assistance ? and if necessary military force.'

The FCO strategy identifies eight international strategic priorities: A world safer from global terrorism and weapons of mass destruction; Protection of the UK from illegal immigration, drug trafficking and other international crime; An international system based on the rule of law, which is better able to resolve disputes and prevent conflicts; An effective EU in a secure neighbourhood; Promotion of UK economic interests in an open and expanding global economy; Sustainable development, underpinned by democracy, good governance and human rights; Security of UK and global energy supplies and finally Security and good governance of the UK's Overseas Territories.

"The security and good governance of the UK's OT is a responsibility of the British government as a whole, coordinated by the FCO. As well as meeting our international legal obligations, our aim will be to promote their quality of life and support their long term development. We shall expect the Territories to observe high standards of probity, law and order and good government, and to observe international commitments to which they are bound by virtue of their relationship with the UK", states the eighth point of the Strategic International policy priorities.

More specifically the FCO Strategy states that Overseas Territories policy was set out in another Government White Paper in 1999, "Partnership for Progrees and Prosperity", which outlined, "improvement of the governance, environment and security of the Overseas Territories and encourage more diversified economic development; maintain a proper balance between rights and responsibilities in the constitutional realtionships between the UK and Overseas Territories; Manage the impact of new international obligations affecting OT; Minimize vulnerability of small island Territories to economic changes, international crime, natural disasters or other developments; cooperate effectively with otger British government Departments across this agenda".