1960 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference

Last updated

10th Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference
Queen Elizabeth II and the Prime Ministers of the Commonwealth Nations, at Windsor Castle (1960 Commonwealth Prime Minister's Conference).jpg
Host countryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Dates3–13 May 1960
Cities London
Participants11
Chair Harold Macmillan
(Prime Minister)
Follows 1957
Precedes 1961
Key points

The 1960 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference was the tenth Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Nations. It was held in the United Kingdom in May 1960, and was hosted by that country's Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan.

This was the first Commonwealth conference since Malayan independence in August 1957 and saw the growing importance of the non-white "New Commonwealth" countries. Malaya's prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman and his government vigorously opposed the apartheid policies of South Africa and, with the support of Pakistan, India and Ghana, demanded that the issue be addressed by the Commonwealth. However, Macmillan insisted that the final communique could only include matters on which the leaders were unanimous. [1] Ghana advised the meeting that it would be becoming a republic and South Africa advised that it would be holding a referendum on the issue. Ghana was advised that its continued membership in the Commonwealth as a republic was recognised, however, South Africa was advised that it would need to seek consent of other Commonwealth governments for its membership to continue. [2]

Participants

NationNamePortfolio
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom Harold Macmillan Prime Minister (Chairman)
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia Robert Menzies Prime Minister
Canadian Red Ensign (1957-1965).svg Canada John Diefenbaker Prime Minister
Flag of Ceylon.svg Ceylon Edmund Joseph Cooray Minister of Justice
Flag of Ghana.svg Ghana Kwame Nkrumah Prime Minister
Flag of India.svg India Jawaharlal Nehru Prime Minister
Flag of Malaya (1950-1963).svg Malaya Tunku Abdul Rahman Prime Minister
Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand Walter Nash Prime Minister
Flag of Pakistan.svg Pakistan Ayub Khan President
Flag of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (1953-1963).svg Rhodesia and Nyasaland Sir Roy Welensky Prime Minister
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg South Africa Eric Louw Minister of External Affairs

References

  1. "The Leader-Post – Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
  2. Secretariat, Commonwealth (1987). The Commonwealth at the Summit: Communiqués of Commonwealth Heads of ... – Google Books. Commonwealth Secretariat. ISBN   9780850923179 . Retrieved 11 November 2013 via Google Books.