§ 82. Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, if he will make a further statement about recent discussions, and the general situation, in the Maldive Islands.
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§ Mr. P. Williamsasked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will now make a further statement relating to the island of Gan.
§ Mr. AlportThe negotiations about the R.A.F. air staging post at Gan, which have been proceeding in Colombo with representatives of the Maldivian Government, have been suspended on the initiative of the Maldivian delegation. The negotiations were on the basis of documents on which there had already been a substantial degree of agreement between us and the Maldivians. In the course of the negotiations the Maldivian representatives raised new matters of substance quite unrelated to the agreement concerning Gan. Although the United Kingdom side went as far as possible to meet them, this only resulted in the Maldivians producing further and unacceptable demands. We have informed the Maldivian Government that we remain prepared to discuss all outstanding matters and have expressed our willingness to resume negotiations at any time in Male or in Colombo or in London, if they so desire.
The internal affairs of the Maldive Islands are a matter for the Maldivian Government. The United Kingdom Government are in no way responsible for recent events that are reported to have occurred in certain of the Maldivian atolls. However, when we received information of a serious famine on Huvadu atoll, some 60 odd miles north of Addu Atoll, we first informed the Maldivian Government whom we assumed would wish to undertake urgent relief measures. When further and more serious reports about the famine reached us, and it was evident that the Maldivian Government had been unable or unwilling to institute relief measures, it was decided that we could not stand idly by and that we should send some food from stocks maintained by the R.A.F. on Gan. This has now been done. The Maldivian Government have been kept fully informed at all times.