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The latter
effective measures possible to protect the Asian community. measures, included at the onset of an emergency setting up special communications between Asian " 'correspondents" and the British High Commissioners' offices; putting all possible pressure on the African
governments to deploy adequate police or troops for protection; our High Commissioners keeping in close touch with the local government authorities with administrative help or advice; if necessary, assisting
in supplying and administering food or medical supplies; and, if the
situation warranted it, reviewing the possibility of providing limited
military forces, perhaps in conjunction with other Commonwealth countries,
to assist the local authorities to maintain order.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DEFENCE said that while a decision to treat
Asian United Kingdom citizens differently from Europeans might prove to be
advisable this would constitute a reversal of the decision taken by
Ministers in January 1965, on which basis military plans had been worked out.
The difficulty of implementing these plans would vary greatly from country to
country and in some it would be quite practicable to include Asians in our
arrangements. We should also consider the position in relation to our
plans of the citizens of the old Commonwealth countries. There would be
advantage in officials examining the problem further in relation to each
country separately, in consultation with the Chiefs of Staff, before a
decision was taken by Ministers.
In discussion the following points were made
(a) We should have further discussions with the Governments of India and
Pakistan with a view to the co-ordination of arrangements in the event of serious disturbances for the protection and if necessary evacuation, in
particular to India and Pakistan, of the Asian community in East and
Central Africa.
(b) In some circumstances large numbers of Asian United Kingdom citizens might seek entry to the United Kingdom. This could only be prevented by legislation which would both be discriminatory and would draw attention
to the existing rights of entry of such persons.
(c) The possibility of securing the assistance of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees in measures for the assistance of the
Asian community if the need arose should also be considered.
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