Cablegram 29 CANBERRA, 16 April 1945
PERSONAL
Washington telegram to you EL 6 [1] of 11th April on South American exchanges.
I should be glad of your views on the situation which has arisen with Chile. It was of course never our intention that any of the posts under Macgregor should appear inferior to another, but apparently press reports that his headquarters would be at Rio have led the Chileans to believe that Santiago will be left most of the time with only the head of his staff there in charge.
I think it would be undesirable for our diplomatic relations with Chile to be from the commencement on an inferior footing, which they would be if only a Charge d’Affaires (that is a non- plenipotentiary) were appointed here.
In the circumstances, best course seems to be to make clear to Chileans that our intention is and has always been to have at least three Legations, including one to Argentina when opportune, but with single Minister, who will reside at each post equally.
[2]
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1 Document 70 was repeated to Evatt in London as EL6.
2 Evatt agreed with Curtin and undertook to make clear his view when in the United States. See cablegram 8, dispatched 17 April, on file AA : A1066, A45/3/1/1.
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[AA : A3196, 1945, FOLDER, OUTWARDS TO AUSTRALIAN DELEGATION SAN FRANCISCO (AND LONDON), 0.9717]