WHEREAS Ceylon has reached the stage in
constitutional development at which she is ready to
assume the status of a fully responsible member of the
British Commonwealth of Nations in no way subordinate
in any aspect of domestic or external affairs, freely
associated and united by common allegiance to the
Crown;
AND WHEREAS the Government of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government
of Ceylon arc desirous of entering into an agreement to
provide for certain matters relating to external
affairs
THEREFORE the Government of the United Kingdom and the
Government of Ceylon have agreed as follows:
1. The Government of Ceylon declares the readiness of
Ceylon to adopt and follow the resolutions of past
Imperial Conferences.
The Imperial
Conferences have passed few resolutions of permanent
importance. It may indeed be said that there is
nothing earlier than 1923 having any relevance, and
much that was discussed in 1923, 1926, 1930 and 1937
is now irrelevant. [note by Sir Ivor Jennings in
Ceylon Constitution, 1950]
2. In regard to external affairs
generally, and in particular to the communication of
information and consultation, the Government of the
United Kingdom will, in relation to Ceylon observe the
principles and practice now observed by the Members of
the Commonwealth, and the Ceylon Government will for
its part observe these same principles and
practice.
3. The Ceylon Government will be represented in London
by a High Commissioner for Ceylon, and the Government
of the United Kingdom will be represented in Colombo by
a High Commissioner for the United Kingdom.
4. If the Government of Ceylon so requests, the
Government of the United Kingdom will communicate to
the Governments of the foreign countries with which
Ceylon wishes to exchange diplomatic representatives,
proposals for such exchange. In any foreign country
where Ceylon has no diplomatic representative the
Government of the United Kingdom will, if so requested
by the Government of Ceylon, arrange for its
representatives to act on behalf of Ceylon.
5. The Government of the United Kingdom will lend its
full support to any application by Ceylon for
membership of the United Nations, or of any specialized
international agency as described in Article 57 of the
United Nations Charter.
6. All obligations and responsibilities heretofore
devolving on the Government of the United Kingdom which
arise from any valid international instrument shall
henceforth in so far as such Instrument may he held to
have application to Ceylon devolve upon the Government
of Ceylon. The reciprocal rights and benefits
heretofore enjoyed by the Government of the United
Kingdom in virtue of the application of any such
international instrument to Ceylon shall henceforth be
enjoyed by the Government of Ceylon.
7. This Agreement will take effect on the day when the
constitutional measures necessary for conferring on
Ceylon fully responsible status within the British
Commonwealth of Nations shall come into force.
Done in duplicate, at Colombo. this eleventh day of
November 1947.
Signed on behalf of the Government of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Henry Moore
Signed on behalf of the Government of Ceylon
D.S.Senanayake
The date was 4 February 1948.
