Cablegram 306 CANBERRA, 6 October 1945
South Seas Regional Commission.
1. French Minister [1] here has been enquiring as to when Commission would be created and has expressed keen desire of France to receive invitation.
2. Following upon the agreement reached at San Francisco upon broad question of international colonial policy the time has perhaps arrived to urge upon the United Kingdom the early establishment of the South Seas Commission.
3. Your presence in London provides an opportunity for proceeding at once to secure agreement of five powers concerned to immediate establishment.
4. I feel that an early approach might be made by you to the United Kingdom, United States and French authorities with a view to:
(a) obtaining approval in principle to the establishment of the Commission.
(b) the immediate calling of a conference of experts representing interested governments to meet in the South or Southwest Pacific to recommend concerning composition, functions and establishment of the Commission.
5. In order that New Zealand may be informed and have opportunity to comment before approval is made I should be glad of your comment on this proposal. [2]
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1 Pierre Auge.
2 Evatt approved the proposal and discussed the matter informally with U.S. authorities. See his cablegram EC55 to Makin, dispatched 13 October, on file AA : A1838/2, 342/3.
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[AA : A1838/2, 324/3]