Cablegram E74 (extract), CANBERRA, 5 October 1948, 6 p.m.
SECRET PERSONAL
Reference to Berlin issue to Security Council[1] is not likely to bring agreement among major powers or effect a settlement. Moreover it cannot be claimed that all avenues of discussion have been exhausted until Peace Conference is held. Whole German question might be best approached if an immediate Peace Conference were called. This would at least give both sides opportunity of backing out of present positions. You might find it useful at some stage to make statement pointing to need for completion Peace Treaty and for holding of early Peace Conference.
_[1] The governments of the United Kingdom, United States and France had referred the matter to the Council on 29 September 1948.
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[AA : A1838, 29/2/2/4/5]