Cablegram P143 CANBERRA, 10 August 1946
IMMEDIATE SECRET
Trusteeship Agreement.
1. Statement as drafted in our P.112 and 113 and your 128 was tabled in House 7th August and copies given to all members of both Houses. On 6th August Cabinet approved recommendation that terms be used as basis for discussion with Governments of New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States and France with view to submission of draft agreed upon with those states to the General Assembly.
[1]
2. It would appear desirable now that concurrence of other Governments be sought without delay, especially in view of our commitments in September [2]. I would suggest that you take the matter up with representatives of N.Z., U.K., U.S. and France now in Paris.
3. N.Z. has now formally submitted draft agreement for Western Samoa to us and to the Governments of United Kingdom, France and United States, all of whom have been informed that it is proposed to regard them as ‘states directly concerned’. Text has been revised following on recent officials’ discussions in Canberra (see immediately following cable). The New Zealand Government, on the assumption that we ‘wish to be regarded as a state directly concerned in this instance’ seek our assurance that we will support their draft agreement in the General Assembly.
4. It seems essential that following main issues be cleared:
(a) States directly concerned as mentioned above. New Zealand assume we wish to be explicitly recognised as such. View taken by United States and ourselves that consultation without specific designation is sufficient is preferable and we would hope New Zealand United Kingdom and France could be brought to agree to this now.
(b) New Zealand article designating New Zealand as administering authority contains the phrase ‘on behalf of the United Nations’.
This is chief difference of substance between Australian and New Zealand drafts. It seems likely United Kingdom intend to take same position as New Zealand. See our 1051 to you in Washington 13th July.
5. The statement on Trusteeship and text of draft agreement have been cabled to Washington and communicated to other posts by air mail. Glad of early advice.
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1 See Document 55.
2 Presumably the reference here is to the federal election scheduled for 28 September.
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[AA:A1838/238, 306/1/1, ii]