Cablegram 1345 (extract), LONDON, 28 April 1948, 1.45 p.m.
During unofficial discussion with Commonwealth Relations Officer yesterday, I was informed they are considering repeating invitation to Australia to join informal E.R.P. Committee. Stressed that this Committee is designed to work on informal basis at Officers level and to be merely channel for supply of information to other Commonwealth Governments.
Paragraph stressing informal nature of Committee in original draft was unfortunately omitted simply to shorten telegram. Commonwealth Relations Office regard such Committee as most satisfactory channel for relaying information difficult to express unambiguously in a telegram.
2. I believe that it would assist whoever is to watch Australia’s economic interests in E.R.P. if he were to attend these Meetings. For example, Meetings of S.A.S.C.[1] have enabled me to make contact (otherwise difficult) with Officers responsible for economic and statistical work of interest to Treasury.
_[1] Sterling Area Statistical Committee.
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[AA : A1838, 791/4/2/2, I]