DOWNING STREET, NUMBER 10; MRS GANDHI ARRIVING IN CAR; WILSON GREETING MRS GANDHI; ENTERING NUMBER TEN.




Initials DHC/V-B/PW/SGM



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Background: MRS INDIRA GANDHI, THE INDIAN PRIME MINISTER, TODAY (THURSDAY) HAD A WORKING LUNCHEON WITH BRITISH PRIME MINISTER HAROLD WILSON AT NUMBER 10 DOWNING STREET. OFFICIALS SAID ONLY THAT THEY DISCUSSED ANGLO-INDIAN AFFAIRS.

MR WILSON MET MRS GANDHI WHEN SHE ARRIVED BY CAR AT THE OFFICIAL PRIME MINISTERIAL RESIDENCE. ALSO AT THE LUNCH WERE THE BRITISH FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY, MR MICHAEL STEWART, AND ONE OF HIS MINISTERS OF STATE, LORD SHEPHERD.

OBSERVERS SAID THE PROBLEM OF ASIAN IMMIGRATION TO BRITAIN -- A MAJOR TOPIC AT THE COMMONWEALTH PRIME MINISTERS' CONFERENCE -- WAS SURE TO HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED.

IN A SPEECH TO THE CONFERENCE TODAY MRS GANDHI SAID THERE COULD BE NO COMPROMISE OVER RHODESIA. SHE STRESSED THAT THE QUESTION OF RACE WAS CENTRAL TO THE RHODESIAN ISSUE AND ONE ON WHICH THE COMMONWEALTH COULD NOT AFFORD TO COMPROMISE.