§ 33. Mr. Rankinasked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what requests have been made by the Government of the Maldives that Gan Island will only be used in defence of the Maldives or any part of the Commonwealth, and that there will be no interference with the fishing industry of the Maldives; to what extent these requests have been agreed by the United Kingdom Government; and what are the terms of the agreement between the two Governments.
§ Mr. AlportUnder the 1953 Agreement between the United Kingdom and Maldivian Governments, the United Kingdom have the right, after consultation with the Maldivian authorities, to establish and maintain in the Maldive Islands such facilities as they may determine to be required for the defence of the Maldives or any part of the Commonwealth. At no stage has it been suggested by either Government that the air-staging post on Gan Island should be used on any other basis. In response to a request that the interests of the local fishing industry should be safeguarded, the Maldivian Government were informed in December last year that the United Kingdom Government would at all times endeavour to avoid any unnecessary interference with the legitimate fishing activities of the local inhabitants. As regards the last part of the Question, final agreement has still to be reached with the Maldivian Government, and negotiations are continuing.
§ Mr. RankinIs it the case that a final agreement has still to be reached with the Maldivian Government about the use of Gan Island as a defence post, and is not the claim they are making, to which I refer in my Question, quite a reasonable claim to make?
§ Mr. AlportThe claims which the Maldivians are making, to which the hon. Gentleman referred, as I said in my 669 reply, are already accepted with regard to fishing rights and use in connection with the defence of the Maldive Islands and the Commonwealth. Those are not the points at issue. The general idea is, I think, generally accepted between the two Governments. What has to be worked out at the moment are certain details with regard to resettlement and other matters.