Canberra, 6 March 1972
158. Confidential
For Mcintyre from Bowen.
China
James Kibel who last year conveyed an invitation to the Government for a trade mission to visit the P.R.C. is reported to have told the press that he has had talks in New York with the Chinese Mission to the United Nations. He claims that he has been told things of great interest to the Australian Government.
2. Ministers do not think it appropriate to seek out Kibel who has used this whole operation to advance his own ends. Should he approach you, you should of course, listen to what he has to say and report to me.
3. If he does not approach you, I should like one of your staff to approach the Chinese Mission at a middle level and say that we have noted the press reports and if in fact the P.R.C. representatives have any message to convey, the Australian Government feels it is preferable that it should be conveyed through official channels rather than through businessmen who have no official channel. You and one of your staff would be available to receive any communication they care to make. The whole thing should be kept in a very low key.
4. For your own information and not to be passed to the Chinese, we are instructing Renouf to seek a further interview with the Chinese Ambassador in Paris.
Thus while we do not wish to appear to ignore what the Chinese may have to say in New York, we do not want to appear to be making soundings in two places simultaneously.
[NAA: A1838, 3107/38/18/2, i]