§ Mr. Brockwayasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the recent agreement reached between the Governments of the United States of America and of the Federation of the West Indies regarding United States military bases in the West Indies.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodI am glad to be able to report that the whole of the negotiations which began in London last November and ended a few days ago in Port of Spain were conducted in a most cordial atmosphere and have resulted in a new Agreement acceptable to all the parties concerned.
41WThe leading role played by the West Indian representatives throughout the talks is reflected in the fact that only the Governments of the United States and of the West Indies signed the new Agreement, the latter Government having been given an entrustment to do so by Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The continued interest of the United Kingdom in the defence of the area as a whole and in certain research programmes being carried out there was expressed in Notes exchanged between representatives of the three Governments at the same time.
The new Agreement supersedes all previous Agreements under which the United States enjoyed defence facilities in the West Indies, and in particular the Leased Bases Agreement of 1941, in so far as it related to bases within the Federation. Some of those bases, including part of the naval base at Chaguaramas, will continue as defence areas under the new Agreement but the United States have now relinquished all rights in the majority of the areas leased in 1941.
The duration of the Agreement in relation to any particular defence area will depend upon what is agreed at periodic reviews for which the Agreement provides; but, if agreement on the continued need for any defence area is not reached at the review due in 1973, that area will be evacuated by the end of 1977.
The new Agreement and associated Notes will be published as soon as practicable.