CONFIDENTIAL
SECRET
My traditional reception to provide you with an opportunity to meet representatives of the Indian and world press, who will have gathered in New Delhi to cover the Meeting, will be at 1230 pm.
2.
ORDER OF AGENDA AND STYLE AND FORMAT
Immediately after the Opening Session and before the midday reception I hope there might be a short first Session held on a 'restricted' basis (Heads of Delegation only) to consider the Agenda and the suggested guidelines on Style and Format which might be taken as the first order of business.
Senior Officials will have met as is customary on the previous day to discuss the order of Agenda and related administrative and procedural matters. Their report will be available for consideration by the Meeting at the commencement of its first Session.
In addition, Heads of Government may wish to consider at the very outset the modified guidelines on Style and Format which I sent under cover of my letter of 19 September. The refinements of the Lusaka Guidelines are all designed to enhance and reinforce the special qualities of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings starting in New Delhi.
3.
WORLD POLITICAL SCENE
(a)
Global Trends and Prospects
Under this general heading it is envisaged that discussion will traverse issues of broad political interest and special concern to Commonwealth leaders. The absence of sub-items, other than that on Southern Africa, is not intended to exclude discussion on specific subjects but rather to emphasise the broad and reflective nature of the item responsive to current circumstances.
Heads of Government will no doubt wish to consider from their several vantage points the many political developments that have occurred since they met two years ago.
On that occasion the annota- tion of the Draft Agenda under this item was, inter alia, to the following effect:
"Over the last two years the global political environment
has deteriorated markedly; it is now more troubled, more insecure and more uncertain than at the time of the Lusaka Meeting. US-Soviet relations have worsened, mistrust and suspicion have increased over a wide front, East-West confrontation has intensified, the arms race has accelerated, and there is a general sense of fragility about the world political situation. The cause of internationalism, the claims of development, the processes of negotiation have all suffered from these developments".
CONFIDENTIAL
SECRET
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