Cablegram 1 DUBLIN, 22 November 1945, 12.42 p.m.
For a long time my colleagues and I have wished to establish closer relations with Australia, for whom the people of my country have always had the most kind feelings, and we think that an early exchange of representatives would be the most effective means of achieving that purpose. As you probably know, we have had representatives for several years in London and Ottawa, and the British and Canadians have had representatives in Dublin.
If you and the Minister for External Affairs are in agreement with the suggestion, we should propose to send Dr. T. J. Kiernan to Australia within the next six months. Dr. Kiernan, who is 48 years of age, was Secretary in our London office for some ten years and has been Minister to the Holy See since the beginning of the war.
Apart from his distinguished academic career Dr. Kiernan is gifted with prudence and discretion and he and his wife universally popular. I think you would be completely satisfied with him. [1]
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1 In response to Makin’s request for Evatt’s views and suggestion that any reciprocal arrange- ment should be delayed, Evatt agreed that the matter should await his return in January 1946. See Makin’s cablegram 1829 and Evatt’s E60, dispatched 29 November and 1 December respectively. Both On file AA : A1066, E45/11/7.
Kiernan arrived in Australia on 15 September 1946 to take up appointment as Minister Plenipotentiary.
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[AA : A1066, E45/11/7]