Cablegram 139 CANBERRA, 24 March 1949, 5.30 p.m.
CONFIDENTIAL
Your 215. [1]
There is no difficulty about placing item on agenda and discussing it under Article 12 [2], that is discussion and possibly adoption of resolution expressing views but without recommendation. This was what Asian Conference had in mind. Would Indian Government agree to joint Indian-Australian move to place item on agenda? Suggestion of holding informal conference at New York is agreeable to us. Who would take action to convene it? Our administrative facilities are available if required.
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1 Document 309.
2 Article 12 of the UN Charter states that the General Assembly cannot make any recommendations about disputes with which the Security Council is dealing but that the Secretary- General may, with the Security Council, notify the General Assembly of such disputes.
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[AA : A1838, 854/10/4/3, iv]