Cablegram 357 CANBERRA, 9 October 1946
IMMEDIATE PERSONAL
Thank you for your telegram No.329. [1]
2. I have had the opportunity of discussing with Dr. Evatt and reviewing the position of Lord Killearn in relation to the Indonesian negotiations, noting your emphasis on the fact that Lord Killearn is acting purely in a personal capacity.
3. You and Addison will appreciate our anxiety to assist towards any step that will help to settle the dispute which has caused and is causing Australia the greatest embarrassment.
Dr. Evatt’s intervention with Killearn and Addison was occasioned by a desire to associate Australia more closely with Lord Killearn.
4. In the circumstances Dr. Evatt and I both accept your view that pending the outcome of the present negotiations Australia’s interest will be adequately met by Killearn’s working in closest contact and collaboration with Australian representative at Batavia.
5. I hope that you will ask Killearn to let us know if there arises anything we can do to facilitate negotiations.
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1 Dispatched 5 October, this cablegram outlined Attlee’s conviction that, despite Evatt’s desire for direct Australian representation, direct association of an Australian representative in negotiations was impracticable.
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[AA:A3196, 1946, 0.19383]