Executive Secretariat Files: Lot 53D444: File—Secretary’s Memoranda
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State1
| Participants: | Mr. Percy C. Spender, Australian Minister for External Affairs |
| Mr. Norman J. O. Makin, Australian Ambassador | |
| The Secretary of State | |
| Mr. George W. Perkins, Assistant Secretary |
Mr. Spender asked, before taking up the matters he had in mind, whether or not I had anything I wished to discuss with him. I mentioned the Japanese peace treaty and that we were proposing to get on with this now. We hoped to do it through the Far Eastern Commission, but it was not yet determined who would attend the talks. However, we hoped it would be a large group as we did not want to be in a small group with Russia. I mentioned that our principal objective was to turn sovereignty back to Japan so far as possible and at the same time make adequate provisions for security. Mr. Spender said that their chief concern was to prevent the resurgence of militarism in Japan.
Mr. Spender went on to say that he did not feel this was the time to admit Communist China to the UN. I outlined our position to him and [Page 223] told Mm briefly of Romulo’s thought that the Chinese Communist question should not be voted on at the beginning of the Assembly but that it might be referred to the General Committee. Mr. Spender said he would consider this situation and would inform us of their views as soon as possible.
He brought up the question of some kind of an (arrangement in the Pacific, pointing out that they were very eager for some form of participation in the decisions affecting their welfare. They did not feel that the consultations which they had now with the UK were sufficient, that they found themselves faced with decisions without having taken part in making these decisions.
Mr. Spender also mentioned the possibility of a bilateral declaration by the United States and Australia. I told him of the difficulties in which we found ourselves in making bilateral declarations and referred briefly to the consequences that might arise in other SEA countries should we do this. I suggested that perhaps the best place to discuss these matters was in the treaty negotiations. I told him that, of course, we were glad to consider his suggestions and that I felt more talks were needed in connection with the situation in the Middle East. I also outlined to him how I felt the building up the strength in Europe would help in strengthening the whole free world.
Mr. Spender then brought up the question of Korea. He said that they felt that the countries contributing to the UN action in Korea should be formed into a committee to steer the Korean situation.
He also mentioned New Guinea and outlined their position on this matter. I told him that we felt that for the time being it should go through the Round Table procedure, and that if this failed, we could then consider what else should be done.
In closing, I said that I would arrange for him to have a talk with Mr. Dulles.2
- See Assistant Secretary of State Perkins’ memorandum of September 15 to the Secretary of State (supra) preparing the Secretary for this meeting. For Spender’s own brief account of this conversation, see Spender, Exercises in Diplomacy, p. 44.↩
- Regarding Spender’s meeting with Dulles on September 22, see the editorial note, p. 1308.↩