890.0146/1–2147
The Australian Ambassador ( Makin ) to the Secretary of State
Sir, I have the honour to refer to Mr. Acheson’s note of November 6th, 1946, enclosing, for the information of the Australian Government, a draft of a strategic area trusteeship agreement setting forth the terms upon which the Government of the United States is prepared to place the Japanese mandated islands under trusteeship.
My Government has given careful consideration to the draft agreement, and has at this stage certain general comments to offer. In the view of the Australian Government, the ultimate solution of the question of the Japanese mandated islands lies in their being controlled by the United States. At the same time the Australian Government does not regard this as an isolated question but as an integral part of a comprehensive settlement for the entire Pacific ocean area. To isolate the question of mandated islands from the settlement with Japan as a whole is, in the opinion of my Government, an approach almost untenable both politically and juridically.
With the fullest desire, therefore, to support the ultimate objective of the United States, the Australian Government regards both the timing and the procedure as erroneous, and believes that the course proposed by the United States will have the effect of adding to the difficulties of achieving their objective.
[Page 261]The United States Government recently undertook, in a message transmitted through its Ambassador in Canberra, to support the claim of Australia to be a principal party in the negotiation of the Japanese settlement. In view of this the Australian Government finds it difficult to understand the approach made by the United States Government on the question of the mandated islands, which appears to disregard Australia’s vital interest in the disposal of the territories concerned.
I have [etc.]