Cablegram.18 LONDON, 16 January 1946, 9.20 p.m.
Received 17 January 1946
IMMEDIATE SECRET
INTERNATIONAL TRUSTEESHIP
Thank you for your telegrams 12th January Nos. 23-4. [1]
2. We note your view as to interpretation of the phrase ‘States directly concerned’. We feel that it is difficult to put forward any interpretation which would be generally acceptable without considerable international discussion, and our immediate purpose is to find some solution which will enable us to take initial step without prejudicing eventual interpretation to be adopted.
3. Consultation of the French Government with regard to the terms of Trusteeship for the Cameroons and Togoland can be justified in any event on the ground that the British Cameroons and Togoland are parts of the former German Colonies in West Africa of which other parts are administered by France; similarly Tanganyika and Ruanda-Urundi (administered by Belgium) are parts of former German East Africa.
4. In sending copies of the draft terms for information to the other States mentioned in Article 23 of the Charter we shall make clear that our action is without prejudice to the interpretation of Article 79 to be eventually adopted.
5. It is not now proposed to communicate copies at this stage to the Secretary General of the United Nations.
6. We note the terms of the proposed statement by the Australian Government about New Guinea and Nauru. As to the terms of the draft in your telegram No.24 we would suggest that it might be desirable either to omit the phrase ‘for submission to the General Assembly’ or else to indicate also the other step required by Article 79, viz. agreement by the States directly concerned.
7. As the United Kingdom is a partner with Australia and New Zealand in the Mandate for Nauru, the Australian Government in announcing intention to place Nauru under Trusteeship (with which we concur) will no doubt state they are acting with the concurrence of the United Kingdom Government. [2] We assume that the Australian Government are also consulting the New Zealand Government on this point. We assume also that before communicating to any other State the terms of the Draft Trusteeship Agreement for Nauru the Government of Australia would agree the draft with ourselves and New Zealand as partners in the existing Mandate.
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1 Documents 26 and 27.
2 The draft given in Document 27 above was amended to meet the U.K.’s wishes before submission to the Australian Cabinet, which approved it on 18 January.
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[AA:A1838/2, 306/1/1, i]