HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETINGS ROM 1911 to 1937, Imperial Conferences of the Prime Ministers and other Ministers of Britain and the Dominions were held periodically to discuss affairs, defence and economic policy. At the end of each conference full reports of the proceedings and conclusions were published. A brief account of the Imperial Conferences during these years was included in the 1955 Commonwealth Relations Office List. When meetings were resumed in 1944 the old Imperial Conferences gave place to the more informal exchanges of views on issues of first importance provided by the present Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings, and ad hoc conferences of other Ministers for the discussion of particular questions. Details of the proceedings of these meetings are not published, but it has generally been the practice for a communiqué to be issued at the close of each meeting summarising its results. Brief outlines of the communiqué issued from 1944 to 1962 may be found in the Commonwealth Relations Office Lists of 1961 to 1964. The communiqués issued after the Prime Minister's Meetings of 1964 and 1965 were published in the Commonwealth Relations Office Year Book, 1966. There were two Heads of Government Meetings in 1966. The earlier of these, at Lagos, was the first meeting to be held in a Commonwealth capital other than London and the first devoted to a single subject (Rhodesia). The communiqués of both the 1966 meetings were published in the Commonwealth Office Year Book, 1967. There were no Meetings during 1967 or 1968. In January 1969 there was a Meeting of Commonwealth Heads of Government in London. The communiqué was published in A Year Book of the Commonwealth, 1970. In January 1971 Commonwealth Heads of Government met in Singapore. This was the first ordinary Meeting to be held outside London. The Meeting issued a communiqué the text of which was published in the 1972 edition and also the Commonwealth Declaration, which was published in the 1972-73 editions. Commonwealth Heads of Government subsequently met in Ottawa in August 1973 (the communiqué was published in the 1974 edition) and in Kingston, Jamaica in April/May 1975. The following communiqué was issued after the Jamaica meeting: COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 1975 - COMMUNIQUÉ 1. Commonwealth Heads of Government met in Kingston from 29th April to 6th May. All Commonwealth countries were represented, 28 by their Presidents or Prime Ministers. The Prime Minister of Jamaica was in the Chair. 2. This was the first Heads of Government Meeting to be held in the Caribbean. Heads of Government expressed their gratitude to Commonwealth Caribbean Governments and in particular to the Prime Minister of Jamaica for the warm hospitality provided by his Government. 3. Heads of Government extended a cordial greeting to the Prime Minister of Grenada whose country had become a member of the Commonwealth since the previous meeting. They affirmed that a request from Papua New Guinea for Commonwealth membership on the attainment of its independence would be welcomed. 4. Heads of Government paid tribute to the memory of the late Norman Kirk, Prime Minister of New Zealand, and recalled with respect and affection his deep and practical concern for humanity and his outstanding personal contribution to the development of the modern Commonwealth. 5. Heads of Government reaffirmed the value they attach to these meetings and expressed satisfaction with the constructive approach and mutual confidence of their deliberations. They noted with approval the increasing use being made of Commonwealth machinery to further the principles of the Commonwealth Declaration and to promote consultation, co-operation and collaborative action across and within regions. Such consultation formed an important part of the contribution Commonwealth countries make to the development of a new pattern of international relations which took account of the significant shifts in political and economic power. Heads of Government urged that the Commonwealth initiatives already taken to this end should be intensified so as to promote peace and security, economic and social justice and harmony among races. 6. The reduction of continuing unacceptable economic disparities, the shifting balance of political and economic power and colonialism and racialism in Southern Africa were the main preoccupations of Heads of Government in their discussions. 7. Heads of Government recalled the statement in the declaration of Commonwealth principles: "We believe that the wide disparities in wealth now existing between different sections of mankind are too great to be tolerated" and pledged themselves to do all in their power to promote a new and equitable economic order. World and Commonwealth trends 8. Heads of Government reviewed political developments in the world which had occurred since they last met, in the light of the varied interests and concerns of member countries. They acknowledged the contribution of the spirit of détente to a measure of relaxation in international tensions and called for its universal application. They noted, however, that there were some crisis areas in the world where peace and stability were not yet secured and which were still subject to super power rivalry and interference. They stressed that the maintenance of peace and stability could not be left to arrangements between the super powers but was the responsibility of the entire international community. Heads of Government laid particular emphasis on the opportunities for the Commonwealth to make a constructive contribution to the problems of Southern Africa and underlined the special responsibility of Commonwealth member countries to work together in the search for a resolution of the situation in Rhodesia. Disarmament 9. Heads of Government expressed their concern at the continued testing and proliferation of nuclear weapons and reaffirmed the need for urgent measures to facilitate a comprehensive ban on all nuclear weapons tests as one essential step towards general and complete disarmament under effective international control. Cyprus 10. Heads of Government, deeply concerned over the continuation of the Cyprus crisis, expressed their solidarity with the Government of the Republic of Cyprus and their determination to help in the achievement of a political settlement based on the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and nonalignment of the Republic of Cyprus. They reaffirmed their support for General Assembly Resolution 3212 (XXIX) and Security Council's Resolutions 365 (1974) and 367 (1975) and in particular they called for the speedy withdrawal of all foreign armed forces from the Republic of Cyprus, for the taking of urgent measures for the return of all the refugees to their homes in safety and for continued efforts through the intercommunal talks to reach freely a mutually acceptable political settlement. They noted the spirit of good will with which the Government of Cyprus approached the resumption of the intercommunal talks under the personal auspices and direction of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and expressed the hope that these would be fruitful. 11. Heads of Government, as a concrete expression of their interest and concern for a fellow Commonwealth country, agreed to establish a committee consisting of representatives of the Governments of Australia, Britain, Guyana, India, Kenya, Malta, Nigeria and Zambia to meet with the Commonwealth Secretary-General as early as possible, to follow developments concerning Cyprus, make recommendations and assist in every possible way towards the early implementation of the above-mentioned United Nations Resolutions. Middle East 12. Heads of Government expressed concern at the renewed danger of conflict in the Middle East. They re-emphasised the need for the establishment of a durable peace in the area as a matter of urgency and urged all parties to renew their efforts to achieve this objective. To this end Heads of Government affirmed their support for the relevant United Nations Resolutions on the Middle East and their belief that to ensure success it was necessary that the authentic and legitimate representatives of the Palestinian people participate in the forthcoming peace negotiations in Geneva. Indian Ocean 13. Noting that the Indian Ocean was a region of special interest to a significant number of Commonwealth countries, Heads of Government reaffirmed the desirability of ensuring that it remained an area of peace and stability. Serious concern was expressed about the increase in naval activity in the Indian Ocean area on the part of the great powers and the establishment and expansion there of military installations. Heads of Government called upon all nations and particularly the great powers most directly concerned to work towards the implementation of the resolutions of the United Nations declaring the Indian Ocean a zone of peace. South Asia 14. The Heads of Government noted that positive steps had been taken in |