Cablegram 248 [1] CANBERRA, 26 September 1944
MOST IMMEDIATE SECRET
Your telegram D.1422. [2]
On the whole we are of the opinion that, as Eire will participate not only in this but probably other International Conferences, the advantages of discussing preliminary problems and possibly of obtaining Eirean support are considerable. We attach importance to the fact that, during the war, the Irish base of Foynes has been of such value to the joint war effort.
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1 Repeated to the N.Z., Canadian and South African Prime Ministers as nos 209, 19 and 85, respectively.
2 Dispatched 20 September. On file AA:A989, 44/735/832/12/1. It requested views of Dominion Govts on the question of inviting Eire to participate in the suggested Commonwealth talks on civil aviation, noting that Eire was to be invited to participate in the projected international discussions, but had not been a party to the informal Commonwealth talks in October 1943. It noted that although Eire had rejected co-operation with other Commonwealth members in the war, the projected discussions were concerned with postwar arrangements, and the geographic situation of Eire was important for civil aviation.
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[AA:A989, 44/735/832/12/1]