§ LORD CALVERLEYasked His Majesty's Government whether, in view of the announcement of the State Department in Washington that the U.S.A. is to be represented at the next Commonwealth Conference in Ceylon, the Government will clarify the situation by stating exactly the position of the U.S.A. at this Conference in order to avoid misunderstanding.
§ LORD OGMOREThe meeting which is due to open in Colombo at the official level on February 12 is not solely a Commonwealth Conference. The Report 131 of the Commonwealth Consultative Committee, which met last in London in September, stressed the hope that it would be possible for non-Commonwealth countries to take part fully in the Colombo Plan in the very near future. Indeed, representatives of the non-Commonwealth countries in the South and South-East Asian area attended the London meeting as observers. As in the case of the London meeting, invitations to the forth- 132 coming meeting of the Consultative Committee in Colombo have been sent to Burma, Indonesia, Thailand and the Associated States of Indo-China, as well as to the Commonwealth countries concerned. In addition, the Ceylon Government have invited the United States and Philippines.
§ House adjourned at twenty-eight minutes before six o'clock.