307 Burton to Officer

Minister leaves 4th (September) for New York. He is candidate for Assembly President. Assembly Session will be [most] [1] difficult one and you will agree that no [one] is better placed than Minister to assist [deliberations] and endeavour to maintain balanced debates.

2. I think you could assist our relations with the Dutch greatly by a full and frank talk with the Foreign Minister saying that we consider voluntary decision to agree to ... Security Council's suggestion of [commission of] three to be a wise one; that we shall do our best to assist in a final and satisfactory settlement; that our motives all through have been to avoid bitter public discussion and we believe we have succeeded and that Dutch position has improved as a result of our efforts; and that it would be a great pity if Indonesian matters in any way prevented Australia and the Netherlands working together on [United] Nations matters.

3. One clear demonstration of our continued cordial relations would be the ratification of the South Seas Commission Agreement.

[2] Another, which would be regarded particularly in New York as a tribute to the spirit of the Netherlands in relation to the United Nations, would be outspoken support for the Minister as President of Assembly.

4. I have not discussed this with the Minister but I feel confident that this is something you could do with great benefit to Australian-Dutch relations and to the United Nations faced now with most critical problems.