CAB129-45 — Page 542

SECRET

PERSONAL

Page 542

Frime Minister,

Salisbury.

17th May, 1951.

409

Dear Mr. Gordon-Walker,

The Cabinet here have on several occasions discussed the Closer Association Report. We have, as you know, agreed that when it is pub- lished here it will be accompanied by a statement by the Government to the effect that while they are not committed at this stage to the adoption of any of the recommendations the Report has this Government's commendation for serious consideration by the public. Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland have agreed on the same formula.

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We have not yet heard whether the United ingdom Government proposes to make any statement when the Report is published. In the course of a discussion we had today we all agreed that it would be of the greatest assistance to us in Southern Rhodesia as we know would also particularly be the case in Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland - if the Report could, as far as the Africans in all three territories are concerned, be launched with His Majesty's Government's blessing by means of a statement by the Secretary of State.

We know that Mr. James Griffiths is at present on a visit to East Africa and will not be back in England until about the end of May when we understand the Report will have further consideration. Although we fully realise that there must be many considerations which must be weighed against each other one of the most important of these from our point of view is the need for a lead to be given by His Majesty's Government so as to ensure that the Report is from all quarters given a fair wind. The hope is that it will be found possible, for instance, for the Secretary of State to say that His Majesty's Government commends the Report as a suitable basis for the closer association of the Central African Territories or for use as a basis for the consideration of this aim. It might also perhaps be found possible for His Majesty's Government to say that, at any rate in principle, the closer association of the Central African Territories is desirable.

I should be most grateful for your views on these suggestions. I should particularly be glad to know whether you think the Report is likely to be commended by His Majesty's Government and that this will coincide with publication because we should like to issue such a commendation to the Africans in this country with the Report.

As you know, over the 17 years I have been in office and have pressed for closer association I have never been in a position to say that His Majesty's Government was firmly in favour of this object. When, therefore, I have been asked by His Majesty's Government what were the views of the people here in Southern Rhodesia on closer association I have always had to answer that I did not know because without His Majesty's Government's blessing it was impossible to get any further.

With kind regards,

(Signed) G.M. HUGGINS

The Rt.Page54af7Gordon-Walker, M.F.,

Commonwealth Relations Office, Downing Street, London.

Page 542

G.R.

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