800.00 Summaries/11–1546: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Consul General at Rangoon (Packer)
269. Laithwaite of Burma Office stated that office is pleased with working of coalition Executive Council attributing it in part to “light rein” with which Gov Ranee has been dealing with Council members. He mentioned that fact that elections will take place in Apr 1947 means that Brit have reduced to 20 months task for which originally 3 years considered necessary. Declared that road ahead for Burma was “independence within the Brit Commonwealth” that Indian pattern of development not necessarily best for Burma, and that future plans would be affected by way Burmese politicians measure up to their new responsibilities in Executive Council. Arthur Henderson17 favors early dropping all Brit responsibilities and guidance in Burma.
- British Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for India and Burma.↩