Office of the Historian

130. Telegram From the Embassy in the United Kingdom to the Department of State1

London, February 21, 1957—4 p.m.

4440. SEATO. Dental 5750.2 Embassy has been in close (almost daily) touch with UK officials concerned with preparations for SEATO Council meeting and principal impression gained is that they have nothing in particular to raise, although casting about for something which might give more “oomph” to Council meeting (paragraph 2 Embtel 43803). Embassy understands that paper setting forth UK thinking on SEATO has gone forward to British Embassy Washington which will presumably utilize it in discussions with Department [Page 285] prior to Conference. Thus appears unlikely HMG will spring any surprises at Canberra.

Embassy considers it improbable that any non-SEATO subjects of significance will be raised by UK delegation in bilateral talks with U.S. since (a) UK will be represented by Commonwealth Relations Secretary4 rather than Foreign Secretary and (b) latter will, within short time after Conference, have opportunity for discussion non-SEATO matters with Secretary Dulles at Bermuda.

However, as indicated paragraph 1, Embtel 4380, Lord Home expected take advantage his trip to Canberra to discuss defense questions with Australia and New Zealand. Outcome these discussions may have important bearing on SEATO since SEATO area logical place for Australia and New Zealand makeup for prospective UK force reductions. British officials have previously told Embassy that one of SEATO’s principal advantages in their eyes has been as means of getting Australia and New Zealand forces committed South East Asia (i.e. Malay). While it possible UK at Council meeting may have something to say about its military position in SEATO area in light of forthcoming general military retrenchment, Foreign Office sources doubtful that any definite information will be available by time of Conference.

Barbour
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 790.5/2–2157. Secret. Repeated to Bangkok and Canberra.↩
  2. In telegram 5750, February 18, the Department asked the Embassy to comment on topics the British Government might be likely to raise at the Canberra SEATO meeting. Identical inquiries were sent to Karachi, Manila, Paris, and Wellington. (Ibid., 396.1–CA/2–1857)↩
  3. In telegram 4380, February 19, the Embassy reported that a Foreign Office official had stated that the agenda for the Canberra meeting was rather flat and prosaic for such a high-level conference and should be given some sort of theme. (Ibid., 790.5/2–1957)↩
  4. The Earl of Home.↩