Cablegram 1338 CANBERRA, 17 November 1947, 4.20 p.m.
IMMEDIATE SECRET
Your 1509. [1] U.N.R.R.A. in China.
We are still in favour of retention of international control as expressed in our 1313. However, we do not wish to take a strong minority stand against the Chinese Government on this issue. If, therefore, the situation remains as suggested in your 1509 and advocacy of retention of international control would definitely place us in a minority, you should acquiesce in the modified C.C.F.E. proposals. [2]
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1 Dispatched 13 November. It reported that other members of the Central Committee had reversed their attitude to the alternative proposal outlined in Document 77 and were prepared to accept the Administration’s original proposal. A modification proposed that the international members of the Board of Trustees would be selected by the Chinese government instead of being nominated by UNRRA.
2 Australia voted with the other members of the committee at the meeting on 17 November which transferred responsibility for the completion of the UNRRA program to the Chinese government.
Trade and Finance
INTERNATIONAL TRADE ORGANISATION AND GATT
The Australian delegation to the first session of the Preparatory Committee of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Employment, which was held in London from 15 October to 26 November 1946, was led by H.C. Coombs. The Preparatory Committee appointed a Drafting Committee to examine the draft charter for the proposed International Trade Organization. The draft charter is contained in the ‘Report of the First Session of the Preparatory Committee’, Commonwealth Parliamentary Papers, 1946- 47-48, vol.II p. 363.
Australian preparations for the second session of the Preparatory Committee were supervised by the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Trade and Employment which comprised J.B. Chifley, H.V. Evatt, J.J.
Dedman, R.T. Pollard and B. Courtice. N. Lemmon also participated in his capacity as Minister assisting the Treasurer.
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[AA : A1838,493/7, i]