501.BB/12–446: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to Senator Austin
304. USdel. For Gadel. Urtel 912 Dec 4.74 Dept gratified at Australian comprehensive additional article as indicating desirable spirit of compromise. Australian additional article is welcomed for its inclusion of certain explicit undertakings as to human rights, cooperation with Trusteeship Council, protection of indigenous land ownership, education, and participation of inhabitants in administrative services. Such partial inclusion of undertakings might, however, be interpreted later, when Australian agreement is compared with New Zealand agreement, to exclude such other “undertakings as to methods” contained in Western Samoa draft as social advancement, economic rights, and more complete expression of political development. Dept therefore recommends that Gadel should strongly urge Australian Delegation to accept such additional amendments as would bring New Guinea draft trusteeship agreement into substantial accord with Western Samoa agreement in so far as latter will receive approval Gadel.
- Not printed. The U.S. Delegation had reported that “Australian delegation in Subcommittee I of Committee IV tonight made statement accepting principle that certain explicit undertakings as to methods to be adopted in furtherance of charter objectives should be included in New Guinea trusteeship agreement and introduced comprehensive article (article 8), reading as follows. …” (501.BB/12–446)↩