In July 1961, the United Nations and Britain declined to attend the planned meeting that was set for discussions on the concrete terms of the federation. Instead only the Southern Cameroons and the French Cameroon Republic delegations met in Foumban, a town in French Cameroon. (The UN and Britain gave no reasons for keeping away from the meeting.) However instead of frank discussions, President Ahidjo of the French Cameroon Republic, presented the Southern Cameroons delegation with a copy of the French Cameroon constitution of 1960 and requested them to make suggestions for modification which might or might not be taken into account. The Southern Cameroonian delegation deeply disappointed by the condescending approach of Ahidjo returned home in the hope that the government of French Cameroon would reconsider its stance and open the constitution for amendment that will befit a federated state with two equal partners. However this was not to be. In August 1961 a Southern Cameroons delegation met with French Cameroonians in Yaoundé for further discussions about the constitution. Again no agreement was reached. Thus though the plebiscite was an expression of willingness to associate with French Cameroon, the discussions that were necessary to hammer out an agreed document and set the legal basis of the federation never took place, nor were any agreements subsequently signed between the two countries.