Move For Commonwealth Assembly Expected

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30576, 20 October 1964, Page 13

Move For Commonwealth Assembly Expected

fNJ.Put.-Rcutcr— Copyright)

LONDON. Oct 18. Britain’s new Labour Government is expected to make early moves to sound out other Commonwealth Governments on a plan to create a Commonwealth consultative Miserably along the line* of the Council of Europe’* Assembly of Parliamentarians.

The basic aim would be to bring the politicians of Commonwealth nations much eloser together In such a parliamentary assembly. This project is one of several which Mr Harold Wilson, the new Prime Minister, had drawn up well in advance of last week’s General Election victory to strengthen the links of the expanding Commonwealth. He has said that the already-established Commonwealth parliamentary associations could well be expanded into a regular consultative assembly with the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference acting as a council of ministers on the Strasbourg model.

There have been no indica tions where the headquarter! of such an assembly might be Views on this would obvi ously be sought in the Gov ernmental discussions onct agreement in principle wai reached on the assembly idea Development Connell To put new vigour into Commonwealth development •nd trade, Mr Wilson is also Proposing that there should be a Commonwealth development council, an export council and a pensionable Commonwealth career service. The development council would arrange regular round table meetings between the British and Commonwealth Governments to co-ordinate development and capital investment plans. Mr Wilson is likely to tell the other Commonwealth leaders that Britain could guarantee markets for their basic produce and at the same

time plan its own industrial capacity on the basis of guaranteed outlets in the Commonwealth nations which cover more than a quarter of the world. These plans will be backed by the new Ministry of Overseas Development—headed by Mrs Barbara Castle—which will coordinate aid policies, be responsible for mutual aid planning and deal with international economic agencies.