Cablegram UND13 CANBERRA, 28 January 1946
MOST IMMEDIATE SECRET
1. Your Security Council 4. [1] Our policy on these grievances is to support the fullest discussion, consideration and investigation.
2. I should like to emphasise that the leader of the Australian Delegation is not only Chairman, but has the right also to take part as representative of Australia.
3. The view expressed in paragraph one has been made public here and should be strongly supported in London. Either these matters will be dealt with by Security Council in the regular way and in accordance with principles of justice and fair play which principles are stated in the Charter, or else they will be dealt with secretly according to the dictates of power politics.
Australia favours the former and opposes the latter. In each case, it is probably necessary to ascertain precise facts. This cannot be done by assertion and counter-assertion at the Council but only through the work of smaller committees with authority to enquire, and if necessary, visit places involved in the disputes. If a single false step is taken in the direction of evading these issues, the blow to the United Nations’ prestige will be very considerable.
4. There is every reason why this policy should not only be acted upon but made known to the public by the Australian Delegation as it has been made known here. [2]
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1 Document 53.
1 On 30 January the Security Council unanimously adopted a U.K.
resolution which recognised that negotiations between Iran and the Soviet Union were to resume and called upon them to inform the Council of any results, while retaining the Council’s right at my time to request information on the progress of those negotiations (Resolution 2(1946)).
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[AA:A1838 T189, 854/10/2, i]