Cablegram D2221 LONDON, 13 December 1945, 10.42 p.m.
IMMEDIATE TOP SECRET
My telegrams 3rd December D. Nos. 2175 [1] and 2176 [2] and my telegram 12th December D. No. 2218 paragraph 1 (3). [3] Control of Japan.
We should still like to secure that both Australia and United Kingdom should be represented on proposed Allied Council in Tokyo (my telegram D. No. 2077 paragraph 4 [4]). We have, however, felt bound to consider the line to take if the Foreign Secretary is faced in Moscow with a situation in which the United States and Soviet Governments are in agreement on a Council of four (see my telegram D. No. 2176 paragraph 2). We think that the best course in that event would be to propose joint representation of Australia and United Kingdom by a single representative to be jointly nominated by His Majesty’s Governments in Australia and United Kingdom. Our idea would be that a United Kingdom Adviser should be attached to him, and Australian Adviser could similarly be attached if desired. Having regard to strong claims of India (my telegram 10th September D. No. 1671 [5]) we think that an Indian Adviser should also be appointed if the Government of India so desire.
We should be glad to learn urgently whether this solution would, in the contingency in question be acceptable to His Majesty’s Government of the Commonwealth of Australia. If other British Commonwealth Governments have any comments we should also be glad to have them at the earliest possible moment.
This telegram is being repeated to His Majesty’s United Kingdom Ambassador at Washington with a request to give a copy to Dr.
Evatt and to the Canadian and New Zealand representatives on the Far Eastern Commission.
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1 On file AA : A1066, P45/10/33/2.
2 Document 430.
3 On file AA : A1066, H45/1016/5/2. It set out the proposed agenda for the Moscow meeting of Foreign Secretaries, including item (3):
‘Terms of reference of Allied Council for Japan and of the Far Eastern Commission’.
4 Dispatched 7 November. On file AA : A1066, P45/10/33.
5 On file AA : A1066, P45/10/33/1.
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[AA : A1066, P45/10/33/2]