organise a defence pact amongst Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states. The LPS referring to a recent and 'very speculative report' in the Observer, replied that the Gulf states would not take kindly any British attempt to organise a defence pact; he denied British involvement but said that the British Government would welcome a pact if one came about.
3. The High Commissioner for Barbados asked about the timing of the Belize Constitutional Conference. Mr Day said that no date had been fixed. The matter would be discussed with the Belizean Premier. The LPS added that the problem of Belize's independence was a long-standing one. If it could be resolved with Guatemalan agreement so much the better: but if this was not forthcoming, Belize would become independent nonetheless. The High Commissioners for Barbados and Jamaica asked whether there would be a security guarantee. The LPS said that the security aspects would be discussed at the Belize Constitutional Conference.
4.
The High Commissioner for Lesotho asked about Britain's attitude towards the recent Southern African Development Coordination Conference in Maputo and the LPS said that the British Government had welcomed the meeting; all would agree that it was unhealthy for Southern African states to be too dependent economically upon. South Africa but equally that it was impossible for them to be totally independent. Mr Blaker added that the degree of economic dependence on South Africa varied between countries and if by getting together their independence and prosperity could be increased so much the better. Mr Molapo then asked if the UK had pledged support to these states during the Maputo Conference. Mr Fogarty said that Mr Marten had been present, that the British Government supported the objectives and purposes of the Conference, that no fresh pledges of aid had been made but that after studying the proposals made there the British Government would do what they could to find room within the present aid programme to pick up any specific projects. Mr Day added that the British Government also contributed to develop- ment programmes in Southern Africa through the European Commission. The High Commissioner for Malawi said that there was some speculation that the UK would not give aid to those Southern African countries which were not members of Lome; and that under similar joint ventures involving non ACP countries, donors had been prepared to give aid to all project members. Mr Day said that Mr Cheysson had been at Maputo to see if anything could be done for non-Lome participants eg by association. The Acting High Commissioner for Botswana argued that most of the SADCC's proposals in respect of transport and communications converged on Mozambique and that their implementation would be difficult if Mozambique received no help. Mr Day said that it might be possible to find funds to support some of the proposals but that we would need to look rather more carefully at the proposals themselves before taking decisions. The LPS hoped that Mozambique would in due course accede to Lome.
5. On Namibia, the High Commissioner for Lesotho said that SWAPO was worried lest it had to agree to a ceasefire before the talks. The LPS said that the ceasefire would only come into operation after the Pre-Implementation Meeting. Mr Day added that the UN plan con- tained provisions for a ceasefire as an initial phase of a longer-term plan and that Dr Waldheim had in mind that if all the parties agreed it might be possible to advance the date of the ceasefire. The LPS said that he hoped the implementation of the UN plan would begin
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