Cablegram 1349 CANBERRA, 5 September 1944
MOST SECRET MOST IMMEDIATE
Your 825. [1] World Organisation.
The timetable given in paragraph 4 of your telegram under reference assumes that Washington talks will end about September 16th provided the Chinese are content with only one week of discussion. The Governments of the Big Four will probably approve the declaration before other nations are invited to a conference.
While this will not leave much time for separate consultation between the United Kingdom and Dominions, which is of importance, the urgency of early agreement on principles of World Organisation is obvious and we would wish to do everything possible to fall in with Mr. Hull’s programme.
2. The papers submitted at Dumbarton Oaks and the discussions have revealed that there will probably be certain points of difference between the views of some of the Dominions and those of the United Kingdom. These points of difference can probably be ironed out but until that can be done the United Kingdom should, if possible, refrain from committing itself to any draft before consultation with British Dominions. Above all the appearance of a fair accompli which smaller nations will resent should be avoided.
3. My immediately succeeding telegram [2] sets out our provisional comments on the discussions to date. You are asked to take appropriate steps to impress these views on all concerned. In all such steps it is desired that there should be specially close consultation between you and Berendsen.
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1 Dispatched 3 September. On file AA:A5954, box 1821.
2 Document 270.
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[AA:A5954, BOX 1821]