HC Deb 05 April 1960 vol 621 cc172-3
13. Mr. F. M. Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is satisfied that the obligations of Her Majesty's Government to Zanzibar under the Treaty of 1895 are in no way affected by anything agreed at the Kenya Constitutional Conference between himself and the participating representatives from Kenya; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Alport

Yes, Sir. I would refer my hon. Friend to paragraph 24 of the Report of the Kenya Constitutional Conference—Command 960. Questions relating to the Kenya Protectorate fell outside the scope of the Conference, and Her Majesty's Government will continue to discharge their responsibilities for the Protectorate under the Agreement of 1895.

Mr. Bennett

While grateful to my right hon. Friend for that assurance, may I ask whether he does not agree that recent threats of unilateral abrogation in certain quarters are particularly to be deplored, not only in themselves but because they tend to increase insecurity and instability in an area where the opposite of those is very important at present?

Mr. Alport

I fully agree that it is most important that there should be security and tranquillity in Kenya in the future but, as I have said, Her Majesty's Government will continue to discharge the responsibilities that we have to the Government of His Highness the Sultan under the Protectorate Agreement of 1895.

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