COMMUNIQUE
CONSIDERING that in the application of the Republic at the 14th Session of the United Nations a plebiscite is to be organized in February 1961 to allow the people of the Southern Cameroons under British Trusteeship and the people of the Northern Cameroons under British Trusteeship to declare whether they wish to join the federation of Nigerian or to be united with the Cameroun Republic,
CONSIDERING that in the event of the result of this plebiscite being in favour of Reunification the application of this reunification on a federal basis allowing for particular conditions of each group, could not be automatic but gradual,
CONSIDERING that the representatives of the Cameroun Republic and of the Government Party of the Southern Cameroons vigorously reaffirm the desire of their people to be united in one Nation.
CONSIDERING that the political heads have already met twice to examine the broad outlines of the Constitution of the two Federated States. They have, at the conclusion of their third meeting of the 10, 11, 12 and 13th October, 1960, decided to adopt the broad outlines of the Constitution which they will adopt in the event of the plebiscite vote being favorable to them.
JOINT DECLARATION
The representatives of the Cameroon Republic and the Government Party of the Southern Cameroons under British Trusteeship met for the third time to continue their discussions on the projected Constitution which would govern the reunified Cameroun.
At the conclusion of these talks the Hon. J. N. Foncha, Prime Minister of the Southern Cameroons; His Excellency M. Ahmadou AHIDJO, President of the Cameroun Republic, and M. Charles AS SALE, Prime Minister and Head of the Cameoroun Government states:
- that they wish to use every available means to bring to a successful conclusion the task of national reunification which they have set themselves;
- that in no case will the United Cameroun be a part either of the French Community or the British Commonwealth;
- that they wish to create a Federal State whose institutions could be broadly outlined as follows: The Federal United Cameroun Republic will be a democratic state. It will have its motto, its anthem and its flag. The nationals of the federated states will enjoy Cameroonian nationality. The Federal State in the first Federal services will be established to carry out federal Administration. Legislation (or systems of legislation in force) will remain valid until the enactment of federal legislation.
- The Federation will be created by the Cameroun Republic and the Southern Cameroons under British Trusteeship. The two parties hope that the Northern Cameroons under British Trusteeship will also enter into this federation, either as a separate State or as a part of the Cameroons at present under British Trusteeship.
- In the event of the Southern and Northern Cameroons voting in favour of reunification, those entrusted with the responsibility of the affairs of the Unified Cameroons would, through mutual agreement, specify the manner in which the populations of the Cameroons would be asked to express their opinion on the Federal Constitution.
JOINT COMMUNIQUE
The representatives of the government party of the Southern Cameroons under British Trusteeship, led by the Hon. J. N. FONCHA, Prime Minister, on their return from London where they had talks with the United Kingdom Minister for the Colonies on the nature of their territory, had on the 1st and 2nd December a fourth meeting with the delegation of the Cameroun Republic, led by the president of the Republic, Ahmadou AHIDJO. The two parties were in full agreement:
1. that the United Nation General Assembly has stated with clarity the two questions which will be put at the time of the plebiscite on the 11th February, 1961, i e,
- Do you wish to attain independence by Unification with the independent Federation of Nigeria; or
- Do you wish to attain independence by Unification with the Independent Cameroun Republic.
2. that the two delegations whilst in agreement with the interpretation of the second question, which was accepted in London, regret that the representatives of the Northern Cameroons were not present at this conference and ask:
- That immediately after the plebiscite and in the event of the people voting in favour of unification with the Cameroon Republic, a Conference should be held attended by representatives of the Cameroun Republic and the Southern and Northern Cameroons.
- That this Conference, at which representatives of the Trusteeship Authority and possibly those of the United Nations would be present, would have as its aim the fixing of time limits and conditions for the transfer of sovereign powers to an organization representing the future Federation.
Signed FONHCA Signed AHIDJO
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