Cablegram 27 NEW DELHI, 11 January 1949, 11.55 p.m.
SECRET
Your telegram 13. [1] During a call this morning on Bajpai and Menon, I referred to your views on the procedure on which Bedi has no doubt reported to his Government. Menon expressed himself as being in agreement, remarking disarmingly that Australia had so much more experience in this sort of thing. Bajpai was specific on particular points although generally in accord with your views. He agreed that there should be no voting and he thought a barrage of speeches was undesirable. He agrees that the Conference should be a short intensive affair of a few days duration. He envisages it opening with a speech by Nehru embracing a welcome to the delegates, a review of events, and a statement of the purpose of the Conference. Nehru’s opening speech will, by suggestion, endeavour to prevent speeches by individual delegations. Bajpai thinks that statement of view on which conference concludes should cover (a) a review of events, (b) patterns for settlement, e.g.
release of Indonesian leaders, (c) methods of settlement, (d) provision for further consultation.
2. Referring in another context to suggestions that the scope of the Conference might be widened, Bajpai claimed that an invitation to the United Kingdom would have involved an invitation to Russia.
For your strictly confidential information, we understand that the United States Ambassador has asked Nehru to issue a communique tying the conference clearly and publicly to the United Nations, in which event, American blessing would be openly given for the gathering.
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1 Document 59.
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[AA : A1838, 383/1/25]