Cablegram 323 CANBERRA, 25 December 1948, 5.45 p.m.
SECRET
Your 347. [1]
We are most disappointed at Canadian attitude which seems to us to be academic, misinformed and lacking any real understanding of British Commonwealth and democratic interests in this area. Canada has to choose between siding with a now discredited member of Western Union and on the other hand Australia, New Zealand, India and Pakistan. The answer to your three points is:-
One: North Atlantic Security pact is discredited if members will not deal with one of its members which acts contrary to its purposes.
Two: So-called anti-Communist line of Dutch is in our view and in Bevin’s words calculated ‘to drive Republicans underground so they can re-emerge as Communist-led guerrillas’.
Three: What were these ties that were stronger than ties with Australia and New Zealand? You should be firm with Pearson along these lines.
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1 Document 460.
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[AA:A1838, 854/10/4/3, ii]