Canberra, 11 July 1961
37. Secret
I have had most difficult meetings with Australian Ministers on Monday about the communique, although up till then discussions though forthright were friendly and constructive.
2. They are determined to include passages which
- indicate their belief that British membership of EEC would inevitably weaken political ties of Commonwealth,
- state that whether we negotiate or not is our business and that they therefore have no right to object, implying clearly that they do in fact object.
3. Australian Ministers are clearly obsessed with pending elections.
4. I will do my best at resumed meetings on Tuesday morning to mitigate offensive passages, but I have not much hope of eliminating them. I fear I may end up with communique which implies at best sullen acquiescence in our negotiating. But this would I think be better than having no communique with Australian Ministers free to express their hostility to whole idea of Common Market without restraint.