Canberra, 3 August 1971
767. Secret Immediate
Chinese Representation
In time available, we can give you no ministerial guidance and can offer only brief official comments on American drafts.
2. We agree with your comment that draft United States DR resolution is cluttered with clauses of doubtful utility and clarity and might, as a result, whittle away support for ROC. We have in mind also that DR or other substantive resolution might have little chance of success unless it specifically allocates Security Council seat to PRC. Our further tentative thinking is that substantive DR approach at this stage (and especially one which covers PRC’s entry and ROC’s continuing presence in one resolution) might have much less chance of success than vote on two parts of Albanian resolution which would, we hope, result in defeat of portion providing for expulsion of ROC. Vote on expulsion portion of Albanian resolution would, we hope, be preceded by passage of resolution requiring two–thirds majority for expulsion of ROC. Our initial reaction is that American draft Non–Expulsion resolution is too brief, and draft along lines of our text might have better prospects of success. (Incidentally, you might note that we see advantage in referring to ‘Non–Expulsion’ resolution rather than to IQ or amended IQ).
3. While Mcintyre might discuss above line and other details on a non–commitment basis with the State Department, we would not repeat not want Ashwin to discuss details of tactics or drafts at meeting of 18 countries. We would want him to participate with caution and discretion, keeping within the limits of ministerial statements already made, that is, support for entry of the PRC, retention of membership of the United Nations by the ROC and the inevitability of allocation of the Security Council seat to the PRC. Until we have further ministerial guidance, we would not want to have Australia identified with any particular tactics or particular drafts. We would like to have Ashwin’s detailed report of the meeting and will let you have further guidance as soon as practicable.
[NAA: A1838, 3107/38/18, xviii]
1 Document 228.
2 3 August. Mcintyre received confirmation that he should attend talks with the State Department, and he was instructed to send Ashwin to the meeting of eighteen countries in New York. Ashwin’s brief, the cablegram continued, would probably not be approved by Ministers, so he would represent Australia without commitment to the Government.