Colombo, 22 February 1951
- IMMEDIATE RESTRICTED
From Critchley.
Meeting of the Committee finished Tuesday in much more cordial and optimistic atmosphere than seemed possible earlier. The Canadian contribution and the more enthusiastic statement by Kennedy made a considerable difference.1 The press communiqué has already been cabled in clear and report2 will be sent by bag.
- Kennedy took the advantage of final meeting to clarify further the position of the United States of America. He made the following points:
(1) The U.S.A. participated fully in discussions of the Committee as a member, not as an observer.
(2) Participation in the Consultative Committee did not involve participation in the Council of Technical Co-operation.
(3) His Government was not too happy about future meetings being held at a Ministerial level. Representation should be determined by the Government concerned in the light of discussions anticipated at the meeting.
(4) Basis of United States membership was that [the]3 committee [be] consultative and advisory, and would have no action of responsibility.
(5) Any United States aid would be bilateral.
(6) The United States intended ‘to co-ordinate to the greatest extent possible its present and future progress and to take into account information obtained through discussions in the Committee meetings’.
(7) Meetings of the Committee should be located in Asia.
- Kennedy went on to say that in his view, the results of the meeting were favourable and he referred in particular to:
(a) enthusiasm, interest and cordiality among the representatives,
(b) evidence of co-operative efforts and self-help that existed,
(c) promise of considerable aid already made by the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada,
(d) evidence that the programmes were being actively reviewed and already being carried out.
- This copy has been delayed pending correction of minutes by Kennedy.
[NAA: A1838, 851/18/8 part 3]