Cablegram EC41 LONDON, 30 September 1945, 6.35 p.m.
MOST IMMEDIATE SECRET
My telegram EC.40. [1]
Following is text:
Australia welcomes the announcement of the early establishment of a Far Eastern Commission to carry out the Japanese surrender. This marks an important step forward for the Commission is capable of initiating greatly improved Allied co-operation for the control of Japan. The Commission is to be vested with important functions in the framing of Allied political policy in the Far East, and, with suitable personnel, it should become master of its own proceedings and functions.
Australia has advocated for some time the establishment of a body of this kind to enable countries who have taken a prominent part in the defeat of Japan to participate at the highest level in the consideration and formulation of post-armistice policy, and I have had helpful discussions in London during the last two weeks, both with Mr. Bevin and Mr. Byrnes.
I am now satisfied that the proposed membership of the Commission is a tangible recognition of the important principle for which Australia and other countries have contended in relation to the peace settlement, namely, that all countries which have made a direct and active contribution to the defeat of the enemy powers should also have the right to take a direct and active part in the armistice and peace arrangements in relation to their enemies.
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1 Dispatched 30 September. On file AA : A1066, P45/10/33/1. It advised that Evatt had issued the ensuing statement on the Far Eastern Advisory Commission on 30 September.
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[AA : A1066, P45/10/33/1]