Cablegram 6851 CANBERRA, 16 October 1941
MOST SECRET
Your telegrams M.319, M.320 and M.321 of 11th October, 1941. [2]
Commonwealth Government has considered the measures outlined for
expediting the machinery of intergovernmental consultation in the
event of a move by Japan necessitating active military counter
measures. [3] We are taking steps to ensure that immediate
consideration is given to any telegram sent to us in accordance
with the special arrangements adopted and that our views are
communicated to the United Kingdom and Dominion Governments
without delay.
2. We propose to issue instructions to the Australian Ministers at
Washington, Tokyo and Chungking to submit information to us
regarding any move by the Japanese which is considered to
necessitate immediate military counter measures. [4] Any
information of this kind received by the Commonwealth Government
will be telegraphed to London, to Dominion Governments and to the
other authorities referred to in paragraph 7 of your telegram
M.319 and the procedure outlined in your M.320 will be observed.
[AA : A3196, 1941, 0.16538]