Cablegram 102, CANBERRA, 21 April 1948, 1.55 a.m.
SECRET
Your H 115. E.R.P.
We have given careful consideration to proposal for setting up Commonwealth Committee and appreciate the invitation to participate. We do not believe, however, that in this matter, in which we are not directly concerned, a formal committee at official level is the best means of Australia and other members of the British Commonwealth being kept informed regarding those aspects of ERP which are of special concern to us.[1] We should prefer to rely upon the present machinery for obtaining information through our High Commissioner and through informal contacts between technically qualified officers. We will designate an officer to carry out this particular liaison work in London.
_[1] On 27 April 1948, in cablegram 10 to J.C. Smuts, Prime Minister of South Africa, in reply to a cablegram from him, the Australian Government explained: ‘Our difficulty is in being associated with formal Committee for purpose of E.R.P. in which we have no direct part’.
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[AA : A1838, 81/3/1/2, I]