373

Evatt to Burton

Cablegram E69 NEW YORK, 22 November 1947, 5.15 p.m.

IMMEDIATE SECRET

Your E120.

1. Regarding the Chinese note on the Peace Treaty. Please make draft Counter Note claiming veto power, putting certain (counters [1]) before Australia, as completely contrary to undertaking given by United Kingdom and United States as power principal in Pacific.

2. On Chinese Note I am quite unaware of United Kingdom Government’s comments but they are absolutely bound since Canberra Conference to consult us and we must at all costs maintain our position even if we agree to modified veto. It should be on the footing that Australia represents the British Commonwealth as at Tokyo.

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1 A sign here indicates ‘May be countries’.

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[AA : A1068, P47/10/61, v]