Opposition Leader Grant Gibbons has paid tribute to former British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook who died suddenly on Saturday, crediting the gifted Labour Party stalwart with overseeing a ?fundamental shift? in his government?s approach to its Overseas Territories.

During his tenure at the helm of British foreign policy between 1997 and 2001, Mr. Cook was instrumental in the establishment of a comprehensive review of all dependent territories ? a review which ultimately facilitated the right of all to British citizenship while urging the 13, newly-labelled ?Overseas Territories? to look in greater depth at the concept of sustainable development.

The parliamentary White Paper published in 1999 entitled ?Partnership for Progress? also reaffirmed the right of all British territories to self determination, and guaranteed Britain?s commitment to assist and protect them if the maintenance of the status quo was the democratically expressed wish of the people.

The document ? heralded by Mr. Cook at the time as a ?milestone in Britain?s relationship with the Overseas Territories? ? for the first time permitted Bermuda and its counterparts to consider major constitutional reform without being forced to break off ties with the mother country ? an important moment in the Island?s political history, according to Dr. Gibbons.

?The changes that Robin Cook instigated during his time as Foreign Secretary essentially established a framework for many of the debates we have had in recent years on the issue of Independence,? Dr. Gibbons said.

?Allowing the citizens of its Overseas Territories the right to British citizenship ? without being obligated to reciprocate ? opened up a plethora of opportunities for many young Bermudians who can now work not only in the UK but also throughout the EU [European Union. There was also a move away from the British Government?s former position that constitutional change of any kind was not possible and the only options available were the maintenance of the status quo or full sovereignty.

?The actions of Robin Cook allowed Bermuda to think about constitutional change for the first time without having to consider a clean break with Britain ? leeway which gave rise to single seat constituencies and other things. Mr. Cook was the catalyst and the modernising influence which got Bermuda looking seriously at its constitutional arrangements.?

And the White Paper?s reference to the need for a comprehensively thought-out social and economic sustainability plan ?sowed the seeds?, Dr. Gibbons argued further, for the current Government?s well-documented work in the area under the guidance of British expert Ross Andrews.

Mr. Cook, who collapsed over the weekend while out hiking with his wife in the Scottish Highlands, was regarded by many to be the most accomplished parliamentarian of his generation ? famous for his work as Foreign Secretary in forcing Serbian troops out of Kosovo in 1999 as well as his powerful and eloquent opposition to the Iraq war in 2003 ? a principled stance which ultimately prompted his resignation from Prime Minister Tony Blair?s Cabinet.