611.96/7–1751
The Ambassador in the Philippines (Cowen) to the Secretary of State
233. During conversation with Quirino today Pres. strongly deplored the preferred position given to Australia and New Zealand by the recently announced alliance with the US. The signing of a formal agreement with Australia and New Zealand implies to Quirino and the Phil public that US does not regard the Phils as a sovereign nation. Despite my explanations that our public statements regarding the defense and security of the Phils do in fact constitute a closer alliance than is the case with Australia and New Zealand, the fact that we have signed such an agreement with Australia and New Zealand and not with the Phils is strongly resented by Quirino and lends support to the criticisms of Recto1 and the govt opposition. We may anticipate that both Quirino and Romulo will press for a more formal defensive alliance.
The press has been too busy with reparations question to give more than passing attention to the announcement of the proposed New Zealand Australia US alliance. However Recto did not allow the opportunity to pass unnoticed. On July 14 he said “Australia and New Zealand have been given treaties of alliance and mutual defense with the United States. Even Japan will be given such a treaty. The Philippines have been ignored and we are confronted with the possibility that the United States will be Japan’s ally, but not ours.”
- Senator Claro M. Recto of the Nacionalista Party.↩