§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in the light of the forthcoming constitutional talks on the Gilbert Islands and the Banaban plea for the separation of Ocean Island, on what conditions the Seychelles Government agreed to the separation of the islands of Desroches, Farquhar and Aldabra from the colony of Seychelles in 1965 to form part of the British Indian Ocean Territory.
§ Mr. LuardThe Seychelles Executive Council confirmed their agreement in October 1965 to the detachment of the islands of Aldabra, Desroches and Farquhar in return for Britain's agreement to construct an airfield on Mahé Island, Seychelles, to compensate the landowners and to resettle the inhabitants. The islands reverted to Seychelles on that country's independence in 1976.
§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in the light of the forthcoming constitutional talks on the Gilbert Islands and the Banaban plea for the separation of Ocean Island, on what conditions the Government of Mauritius agreed to the separation of the Chagos Archipelago from the Colony of Mauritius in 1965 to form part of the British Indian Ocean Territory.
§ Mr. LuardThe Mauritius Council of Ministers agreed to the detachment of the Chagos Islands after discussions which concerned the negotiation of a defence550W agreement between Britain and Mauritius —since terminated by agreement—and the grant of £3 million additional to the cost of compensating the landowners and a grant to resettle the islands' inhabitants. Understanding was also reached on rights to mineral, oil and fish resources and there was agreement that, in certain circumstances and as far as was practicable, navigational, meteorological and emergency landing facilities on the islands were to remain available to the Mauritian Government. In the event of the islands no longer being required for defence purposes it was agreed that they should revert to Mauritian jurisdiction.