§ 8. Mr. James Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what date has been fixed for constitutional talks upon the future date of independence for Mauritius.
§ Mr. GreenwoodIn discussions last February with the noble Marquess, the former Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations and for the Colonies, 1452 Mauritius party leaders agreed that the next conference to discuss future constitutional developments should be held at a convenient time after October, 1965. A definite date has not yet been fixed.
§ Mr. JohnsonIs the Secretary of State aware of the keen desire for early independence in the island, which has a long history of a good educational system and mature politicians? Would the right hon. Gentleman consider advancing the date or giving a target, say, at the beginning of 1966 and advancing the talks to early in the summer of 1965?
§ Mr. GreenwoodThe date after October, 1965, was generally agreed in the discussion in February of this year. I have had representations from the Premier of Mauritius and also from a number of his colleagues on this point, but before we could agree to bringing the date forward we should have to be quite certain that this proposal was generally accepted by all the parties in Mauritius to the agreement reached in February.