740.0011 EW Peace/2–2747
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Chief of the Division of British Commonwealth Affairs ( Richards )
| Participants: | Secretary of State |
| The Australian Ambassador45 | |
| Mr. Stirling (Australian Minister) | |
| Mr. Richards (BC) |
The Australian Ambassador, accompanied by Mr. Stirling, Minister of the Embassy, called on the Secretary by appointment at 12:15 p.m. today. Mr. Richards of BC was present.
[Page 182]The Ambassador stated that he had been instructed to call upon the Secretary to deliver a personal message from Dr. Evatt, Australian Minister of External Affairs, expressing the Australian attitude regarding the negotiations concerning the European peace treaties. The Ambassador stated that his Government was deeply concerned over the recent decision of the Council of Deputies which appeared to restrict the part to be played by the smaller powers in negotiation of the treaties and which seemed to be contrary to the expressed policy of both the United States and the United Kingdom. He stated that his Government felt strongly that all active belligerents in the war in Europe should take an active part on a democratic basis in negotiating peace treaties and urged that the Secretary use his influence to this end.
The Secretary received from the Ambassador a memorandum46 setting forth the views of the Australian Government. The Secretary stated that he would give this memorandum and the statements of the Ambassador due consideration and that the Ambassador might rest assured that it was the intention of the United States to continue to urge that Australia and other active belligerents participate fully in the peace negotiations. The Secretary stated that he would support this policy in his conversations at Moscow.
The Secretary recalled with pleasure his war-time association with Dr. Evatt and asked that the Ambassador transmit his personal greetings to the Minister of External Affairs.
- Norman J. O. Makin.↩
- The Australian Embassy memorandum under reference here, dated February 14, 1947, not printed, reaffirmed the view of the Australian Government that the procedure for the preparation of a German treaty should provide for the full participation in the negotiations from the outset for all substantial belligerents in the war against Germany. The memorandum also proposed that the Council of Foreign Ministers prepare a draft interim agreement incorporating the general nature of the eventual peace terms for Germany. Such an interim agreement would be revised and approved by a conference of governments which participated in the war against Germany (740.0011 EW Peace/2–1447).↩