§ Mr. James Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the interim settlement, to which Her Majesty's Government is party, of the St. Kitts-Anguilla dispute.
§ Mr. WhitlockHer Majesty's Government's efforts to promote a lasting settlement, which led to the talks in London last October between the Premier of St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla, Mr. Bradshaw, and the Anguillan leader, Mr. Webster, have so far met with no success. It has also regrettably proved impossible to reach agreement on an extension of the interim arrangements successfully negotiated by the honourable Gentleman the Member128W for Surbiton (Mr. Fisher) and my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Chapman) a year ago. Before expiry of the interim period on the 8th of January I sent Mr. Webster a message drawing his attention to the consequences of any precipitate action by him, such as an illegal declaration of independence. Nevertheless, Mr. Webster, in a letter to my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State dated 30th December, 1968, reaffirmed the claim to independence from the Associated State in the following terms:
With the ending of the agreed interim period, Anguilla re-acquires the full independence and freedom of action which it had prior to our letter of 18th December, 1967. Her Majesty's Government have long been aware of our view as to the status of Anguilla. On 12th July, 1967 Mr. Peter Adams, for the Government of Anguilla, cabled Mrs. Judith Hart, then Minister of State of the Commonwealth Relations Office, as follows: 'Overwhelming referendum confirms absolute and final independence of Anguilla from St. Kitts. This leaves no formal legal ties with Crown. We wish to explore status of Associated State or other arrangement of freedom and local self-government within Commonwealth.' This letter reaffirms that that is and remains our position as to the legal status of Anguilla.Since the status of Anguilla as part of the Associated State is laid down by Parliament in the West Indies Act, 1967, and cannot be changed in this way, Her Majesty's Government do not regard Mr. Webster's purported declaration of independence as having any effect. Under this Act, Her Majesty's Government can only legislate to change the status of Anguilla at the request and with the consent of the State concerned.
As a result of the termination of the interim settlement by the Anguillans, the Senior British Official in Anguilla, Mr. Lee, whose services were made available by Her Majesty's Government under the terms of the interim settlement, has been withdrawn, and development aid provided under the interim settlement has come to an end.
In order to enable Her Majesty's Government to discharge their continuing responsibility under the West Indies Act, 1967, for the external affairs and defence of St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla, Mr. Lee has been transferred to the staff of the British Government Representative in the Associated States and instructed to pay periodic visits to Anguilla.
129WHer Majesty's Government attach great importance to a settlement of the dispute between the Anguillans and the State Government and will continue where possible to assist in promoting such a settlement. It is our belief that in present circumstances the most satisfactory arrangement would be one in which the Anguillans would obtain as much autonomy as practicable but remain part of the Associated State.
Copies of the relevant correspondence will be placed in the Library of the House.