§ Mr. Martenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the talks recently held with representatives of Anguilla and St. Kitts.
§ Mr. WhitlockIn response to an invitation from Her Majesty's Government, talks were held at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 14th-23rd October under my Chairmanship with delegations from the Government of the Associated State of St. Kitts/Nevis/Anguilla and from the Anguillans, headed respectively by the State Premier, Mr. Bradshaw, and by Mr. Webster.
The object of these discussions was to consider whether agreement could be reached between the two sides on the arrangements which might follow the expiry of the interim solution of the St. Kitts/Anguilla dispute which had been negotiated through the good offices of my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Chapman) and the hon. Member for Surbiton (Mr. Fisher) at the end of last year. Under the terms of this agreement, which are set out in the statement by my right hon. Friend the then Commonwealth Secretary on 30th January, 1968, the services of the senior British official made available by Her Majesty's Government at the request of both sides, are due to terminate in January next year unless otherwise mutually agreed. It therefore seemed essential for Her Majesty's Government to use their good offices to explore with the parties concerned in advance of that date whether there was now a possibility of both sides agreeing to a lasting settlement and, if not, what might be done to prevent further aggravation of the dispute.
356WWhen after exhausive discussion it became clear that no final agreement between the two sides could be expected at this time, discussion centred on the possibility of extending the present interim solution. Both sides expressed willingness in principle to extend the interim solution but differed on the terms under which this might be effected. We expect to receive further communications shortly from both sides on this question.