790.5/9–2952: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Australia1
69. Provided info contained your 1202 obtained in such way as to make it appropriate pls transmit fol personnel [personal] msg from me to Casey:
“Dear Dick:
[Page 227]“Our Emb in Canberra has reported to me the gen nature of a personal msg you have sent to Anthony regarding the recent London press reports about UK participation in ANZUS.
“I, too, have been concerned by this spate of stories out of London fearing that the result will be to exacerbate the situation. I have been especially concerned by the implication that it is the US which is blocking some form of Brit assoc. Your msg shld be very helpful in dispelling that misconception and I deeply appreciate your writing. Amb Jarman has forwarded to me your ltr of Sep 18 commenting on the Daily Mail story.3 I am glad to have the background in your Itr but I do want to say I have not at any time, following our frank discussion of this question in Honolulu, had any question at all as to our seeing the matter in the same light.
“I feel all of us shld take every opportunity to try to put this matter in its proper light. I was questioned on it at my press conference Oct 1 and I hope my answer which Amb Jarman will make available to you will also be helpful.
“With best personal regards,
“Sincerely yours, Dean”
If info contained your 120 obtained in manner making above msg inappropriate pls transmit fol alternate msg from me to Casey:
“Dear Dick
“Amb Jarman has forwarded to me your ltr of Sept 18 commenting on the Daily Mail report with respect to the question of the Brit participation in ANZUS. I am glad to have the background contained in your ltr but I do want to say I have not at any time, following our frank discussion of this question in Honolulu, had any question at all as to our seeing the matter in the same light.
“I, too, have been concerned by the recent spate of stories out of London fearing that the result will be to exacerbate the situation. I have naturally been especially concerned by the implication that the U.S. is blocking some form of Brit assoc with ANZUS. I agree with you that we shld take every opportunity to try to put this matter in its proper light. I was questioned on it at my press conference Oct 1 and I hope my answer which Amb Jarman will make available to you will also be helpful.4
[Page 228]“With best personal regards,
“Sincerely yours, Dean”
- Drafted by Raynor and initialed for the Secretary of State by Francis E. Meloy, Jr., Assistant to the Director of the Executive Secretariat. Repeated to Wellington for information.↩
- Supra.↩
Letter to Ambassador Jarman of Sept. 18, enclosed with the Ambassador’s letter of Sept. 22, neither printed. (790.5/9–2252)
In his letter Minister Casey had stated that the London Daily Mail’s correspondent, Ward Price, had erred in stating in a story that Casey had expressed to him surprise and resentment over the exclusion of the United Kingdom from ANZUS discussions.
↩- Acheson had said at the press conference that the ANZUS Council had reached the unanimous conclusion that it was not an appropriate time either to extend ANZUS or to create any broader Pacific arrangement. “We have arrangements with the various countries in the Pacific. We are continually working with our British colleagues on defense plans. They are very closely tied into the Australia and New Zealand planning and it has been our intention, as we stated, to keep all the countries interested in the defense of the Pacific fully abreast of developments.” (Department of State, Office of the Special Assistant to the Secretary in Charge of Press Relations, “News Conferences of the Secretary, Verbatim Reports”, 1952, No. 27)↩