Cablegram 1382 WASHINGTON, 10 October 1947, 6.40 p.m.
Your tel. No. 1193.
South Pacific Commission.
Your views were put very strongly to State Department today and although no formal commitment was possible we have the impression that United States Government would be prepared to participate in November meeting provided meeting was on a level at which they could be suitably represented by U.S. Consul-General Sydney. State Department is fully seized with desirability of preliminary meetings to deal with such questions as Secretary-General, budget and site and admitted that their own experience with the Caribbean Commission had proved importance of such work. They are reluctant however to take any action such as appointment of even a Commissioner designate which they feel might arouse Congressional resentment if it were done in anticipation of Congressional approval. They would thus prefer that instead of November meeting, preparatory body should continue its present work in preparation for initial meeting of Commission in January and argued that there was nothing which November Conference could do which could not equally well be done by bodies now meeting.
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[AA : A3300/1, 429]