Office of the Historian

273. Letter From the Australian Ambassador (Parkinson) to President Carter1

Washington, March 14, 1980
Dear Mr. President,2

I have been asked by the Prime Minister of Australia, the Right Honourable Malcolm Fraser, C.H., M.P., to pass to you the following message, dated 14 March 1980:

BEGINS—

“Dear Jimmy,

I have had a message from Toronto from Mr Ellicott, my Minister for Home Affairs, who is handling the Olympic issue for me. He reports that he had very useful discussions with Lloyd Cutler about the Olympics and alternative sites.

But from his discussions in Canada, he believes there is a tendency there for the Canadian Government to put off making a decision and to leave it all as late as possible. I have myself written to Pierre Trudeau and in his reply he certainly kept the door open, but made no commitment.

Mr Ellicott felt that a message or call from yourself would be very important for the Canadians in coming to a decision to support a boycott of the Moscow Olympics.3 The addition of Canada to the group of countries supporting this line would be invaluable in helping to make a boycott effective. I agree with him and thought I should pass on the suggestion for your consideration.

Warmest personal regards,

Yours sincerely,

Malcolm Fraser”

ENDS

Nick Parkinson
Ambassador
  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Country Chron File, Box 4, Australia, 1980. Confidential.↩
  2. Parkinson handwrote the salutation.↩
  3. No record of a telephone conversation has been found.↩