Cablegram 57 NEW DELHI, 20 January 1949, 10.35 p.m.
IMMEDIATE CONFIDENTIAL
My immediately following telegram.
At the opening session 13 representatives spoke shortly. Generally the tone was good, little reference being made to Palestine and French Indo China and all representatives without exception stressing work with and through the United Nations.
2. There was a tendency on the part of some to regard the conference as Asian in racial rather than regional sense.
3. Although speaking was alphabetical, we were able to arrange not to be called at first and towards the end took the opportunity to make a few remarks summarised in following telegram stressing ‘The Australian Government would give early consideration to observations and reports, which would be carried back, by its officials sent to the Conference for this purpose’.
4. Session followed interview we had with the United States Ambassador, which is separately reported in which he stressed the need for us to off-set any impressions of East-West line up which he regards as more dangerous than Soviet influence. The Indian Delegate also sought our co-operation in controlling Arab countries from exploiting the conference. We spoke in this context and behind the scene, and the work of the session was a surprise to all as there was complete support for United Nations and a [remarkable] [1] absence of reference to other situations.
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1 Inserted from a copy on file A5009/2, A7/3/13, ii
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[AA : A1838, 854/10/4/5]