65. The Meeting noted several examples of mutual assistance which had already grown up among developing members of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth Programme of Technical Co-operation, established within the Secretariat the previous year and on which the Secretary-General submitted a progress report, was a further step in building on the special advantages which the Commonwealth affords. A number of them underlined the particular usefulness of the Programme to the smaller members. They noted that a review of this Programme is to be carried out later this year. 66. The Meeting also considered a number of proposals for strengthening Commonwealth co-operation in specific fields. 67. They agreed that the nature and work of the Commonwealth should be more widely known in member countries. They approved in principle the proposal by Guyana for a Commonwealth Information Programme, and authorised the Secretary-General to appoint an Information Officer and to undertake in consultation with Governments a study of the implications of a programme as proposed. 68. Heads of Government also welcomed in principle the proposals submitted by Pakistan on co-operation in the fields of mass communication and education and asked the Secretary-General to undertake studies in detail and in consultation with Commonwealth governments. 69. The Meeting had before it three proposals by Britain for increased Commonwealth co-operation. The first was for extension of co-operation in the legal field. This proposal involved the establishment of a small Legal Section in the Secretariat, which was agreed; and a conference on legal education, to which further consideration should be given. 70. The second British proposal was for regional centres for the teaching of English and the teaching of science, which was welcomed in principle, and which it was agreed should be further considered by the Commonwealth Education Liaison Committee and the Secretariat. 71. The third British proposal was for a series of studies on the problems of youth. The Meeting asked the Secretary-General to examine its feasibility, taking into account the work in this field undertaken by other international organisations. 72. In addition the Meeting discussed proposals for a Commonwealth Book Development Programme designed to assist developing Commonwealth countries to obtain books and journals for educational and research purposes. The Meeting asked the Secretary-General to undertake studies in detail in conjunction with the Commonwealth Education Liaison Committee, convening expert working parties where necessary. The Secretary-General was asked to include in these studies the implications of the ratification of the Protocol to the Berne Copyright Convention. 73. Heads of Government took note of the Second Report of the SecretaryGeneral and the Report of the Commonwealth Foundation. 74. The Meeting also expressed appreciation of the valuable contribution to the strengthening of Commonwealth co-operation and understanding being made by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. As an independent association of Parliamentarians, it provides unique opportunity for the sharing of experience, the discussion of common problems and the development of personal links to the benefit both of its members and of the people they represent. 75. They expressed high appreciation with the work of the Commonwealth Secretary-General and his colleagues which they thought more than adequately justified the decision to establish the Secretariat. T HE Commonwealth Secretariat was established by the Commonwealth Prime Ministers at their Meeting in London in June 1965 (see pages 25-31 of the Commonwealth Relations Office Year Book, 1966). The following is a list of the senior officers of the Secretariat: Arnold C. Smith A. L. Adu T. E. Gooneratne Dr. H. W. Springer N. Salter G. Hensley Dr. R. Glen Commonwealth Secretary-General Scientific Adviser The major undertaking for the Secretariat in 1969 was the organisation and servicing of the Prime Ministers' Meeting which was held in London 7th-15th January. All 28 member countries were represented at this Meeting with 24 by their Presidents or Prime Ministers-making it the largest gathering of Heads of Government since the San Francisco Meeting in 1947 which established the United Nations. The agenda for the Meeting was divided into two broad categories— international affairs and economic affairs. However, special attention was paid to Rhodesia, and those present were unanimous in their resolve that the seizure of power by a small racial minority could be neither recognised nor tolerated. The question of migration was also dealt with in informal discussions outside the meeting between some Commonwealth countries. The Secretary-General was requested by the countries engaged in these discussions to examine general principles relating to short or long term movement of people between countries and to consider the possibility of exploring ways and means of studying this subject on a continuing basis with a view to providing relevant information to those Governments. The Meeting also reviewed the extensive range of co-operation which exists among Commonwealth countries in such areas as technical assistance, education, science, medicine and law and then considered a number of proposals for strengthening Commonwealth co-operation in these fields. In order to further this co-operation, the Secretary-General was instructed to undertake the following tasks: (a) Appoint an Information Officer to undertake in consultation with Governments a study of the implications of a Commonwealth Information Programme. (b) To undertake detailed studies on co-operation in the field of mass communication. (c) To establish a small legal section in the Secretariat, and to give consideration to a conference on Legal Education. (d) To examine the feasibility of a series of studies on the problems of youth, taking into account the work in this field undertaken by other international organisations. (e) To undertake studies in detail, in conjunction with the Commonwealth Education Liaison Committee, of proposals for a Commonwealth Book Development Programme designed to assist developing Commonwealth countries to obtain books and journals for educational and research purposes. The Secretary-General was asked to include in these studies the implications of the ratification of the Protocol to the Berne Copyright Convention. Other Meetings which were organised and serviced by the Secretariat during the year were those of Finance Ministers and Officials, in Barbados in September 1969, and a Meeting to review the Commonwealth Technical Assistance Programme, which was also held in Barbados prior to the Finance Meeting. This review was held a year after the programme had begun to function. The programme had been formulated in Nairobi in June 1967, and is designed to cover areas in which the Commonwealth relationship gave special advantages. These areas include planning and sectoral analysis; the preparation of projects; plan execution, statistics, finance and public administration (particularly development administration) and co-operation in joint development projects. The scheme provides for a small headquarters group whose members are available to assist and advise Commonwealth Governments, at their request, either by correspondence or personal visits. On-the-spot assistance by visiting members of the group was rendered to Botswana, Ceylon, Fiji, Kenya, Malta, Mauritius, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Tanzania, The Gambia and Uganda, among others. Subjects dealt with included advice on taxation and royalty matters, on problems of developing a major mining industry, on public administration, statistics, transport and communications, project appraisal and economic development. Activities which did not require visits included an analysis of developments in international sugai maikets, notes on the development of tourism in the Eastern Caribbean, the provision of confidential reports on the standing of finance houses and consultants, and advice to donor Governments on the most fruitful methods of applying their aid to recipient Commonwealth countries. A number of requests for assistance were also passed to donor countries for action under their bilateral aid programmes. As part of his normal process of consultation with Commonwealth member countries the Secretary-General paid official visits to a number of Commonwealth countries where he had talks with Prime Ministers and officials on matters affecting Commonwealth co-operation. He visited Malta in April, and Jamaica, Trinidad, Guyana and Barbados as well as three of the Associated States-Grenada, St Lucia and Antigua-in May. The Secretary-General also visited Canada in June, where he had official talks. A budget of £557,805 was approved by Commonwealth Governments for 1969/1970. The scale of contributions is: A MARLBOROUGH HOUSE T the Commonwealth Economic Conference in Montreal in September 1958 the British Government offered to provide, for the many Commonwealth activities and meetings which are held in London, suitable premises which might be regarded as a Commonwealth centre. This suggestion was welcomed by the Conference and in February 1959 the Prime Minister announced in the House of Commons that Her Majesty The Queen, who had shown a close personal interest in this project, had placed her Palace of Marlborough House at the disposal of the Government so that it might be available for this purpose. Few structural alterations were needed but some adjustment and modernisation was required to adapt the building to its new purpose and new furnishings and equipment were installed. The initial cost of adapting the building was met by the British Government, who also bear the cost of maintenance. The |