Cablegram 194,
MOST IMMEDIATE SECRET PERSONAL
CANBERRA, 26 July 1947, 11.12 a.m.
Thanks your message. [1] My immediately following telegram is text of message I have sent to Attlee [2] in reply to a message from him asking us to hold our hand until attempt at mediation has been made. You will appreciate the difficulties of the situation for us. While any positive action we might take will be criticised by one section of the community or another inaction is criticised by all, and it would place us in an impossible position if, our hand having been held in drawing attention to the Security Council, there is a joint United States - United Kingdom approach. You may feel disposed to emphasise, from the point of view of our two countries, surrounded as we are by non-Europeans, the importance of being associated with an attempt to settle this dispute. It is not a question of prestige: it is a vital security matter.
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1 Document 162.
2 Document 166.
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[AA:A1838/274, 854/10/4, i]