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needs in the Indian Ocean. Demanding more than was needed, as in the case of the evacuees, or of retaining Aldabra, Farquhar and Desroches, resulted in more, rather than less, trouble.

22. These arguments seemed to have some effect and it was consequently somewhat surprising that a final American decision was not forthcoming, as promised in the November talks, by the time the Second Constitutional Conference opened in January. (We subsequently learned that the resistance to giving up the islands came from the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, not the civilian members of the Department of Defence who participated in the November talks). There was a considerable amount of increasingly urgent diplomatic exchange with the Americans before Mr Rowlands could tell the Seychelles leaders that we were prepared to hand the islands back provided Seychelles was prepared to accept denial to hostile powers, access to the three islands by UK/US forces, and continuing US use of the satellite tracking station. It was agreed to hold tripartite talks with the Americans as soon as possible to work out the details.

23. The talks were held in London in March under Mr Larmour's chairmanship and proved unexpectedly difficult. The Seychelles leaders had no difficulty in accepting the principle of denial since this was in accord with their previously announced policy of neutrality and non-alignment. More difficulty was experienced over the principle of access to the three islands by UK/US forces in an emergency since this could be represented as breaching Seychelles neutrality (and indeed sovereignty over the islands) which might have affected Seychelles ability to join the OAU on independence. However, a formula satisfactory to all was eventually worked out and it was agreed to keep the agreement on this point confidential until independence was achieved: the annual session of the OAU Heads of State was planned for early July and it could reasonably be expected that Seychelles would be accepted for membership before the agreement on access would become general knowledge. Agreement over the continuing use of the satellite

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14.