790.5/11–2151
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Regional Planning Adviser of the Bureau of Far Eastern Affairs (Emmerson)
Subject: Canadian Adherence to Tripartite Security Pact.
| Participants: | Mr. Peter Campbell, Second Secretary, Canadian Embassy, and |
| Mr. Emmerson—FE |
Mr. Campbell inquired whether I had obtained any reaction to his former query with respect to Canada’s adherence to the Tripartite Security Pact, I said that in accordance with his wishes I had raised this question informally with one or two people in the Department and would give him the benefit of my discussions with them. I said that we are, of course, considering all of the possibilities with respect to a development of future security arrangements in the Pacific but our efforts are naturally now concentrated on the ratification of the treaties which have already been signed. Ambassador Cowen is just taking up his duties as Special Assistant to the Secretary and will be particularly concerned with the problems arising out of the Pacific security arrangements. I said that he would no doubt be considering the possibility which the Canadians had mentioned along with all other possibilities in relation to these pacts. At present, however, there was no firm position in the Department on the point which Mr. Campbell had raised. He was aware, I was sure, of the problems of membership inherent in any Pacific Pact.
Mr. Campbell said that he appreciated the position of the Department and did not expect a definitive answer. He was quite certain that his own government would not put forth such a proposal in the immediate future and in any case he was not sure what the formal attitude of the Canadian Government would be. It was, however, true that Mr. Pearson was beginning to devote more attention to the problems of the Far East and whereas Canadian foreign policy had previously been focused almost exclusively on the Atlantic, there was a growing interest in the problems of the Pacific area. Consequently he knew that his government would be interested in any further thoughts which might be developed in the Department with respect to the evolution of the Pacific security arrangements.