Personal and most urgent. For immediate personal delivery.

We were very pleased at your friendly statement. [1] The situation
from the Commonwealth's angle requires a new approach so that your
Government and ours can become real partners in relation to both
European and particularly the Pacific peace settlements. The
Foreign Office does lip service to this objective but in practice
deprives us even of opportunities which Lloyd George [2] freely
granted in 1919. I am very hopeful that with your help and
leadership Attlee and Bevin whom I have telegraphed will take a
very different view. One immediate solution would be to include
Australia as a principal in the proposed Council of Foreign
Ministers. The inclusion of China is proposed but in relation to
the European settlement our position as belligerent is far
stronger than that of China. Our relation to the Pacific, our very
life and destiny are equally involved.

I fear influences tending against the possibility of really
democratic movements rising up in enemy territories including
Japan. The Foreign Minister of Greece, Sophianopolous, who
recently resigned, assured me at San Francisco that Greece wanted
a democratic regime immediately and that the strongest forces
operating against this came from London.

The whole problem is so vast that I fear it may be settled
piecemeal and to the advantage of Fascist or near-Fascist forces.

War Crimes is a particularly important matter. Lord Wright, who is
our representative on the Commission [3], is strongly in favour of
treating the Japanese Emperor as imputable with responsibility
because of the system of unspeakable barbarities ordered and
practised in the New Guinea campaign. I would be glad if you could
see Australia's evidence which will be made available to you
through Oldham who is delivering this message.

I know there will be full co-operation between us. As you know I
did my utmost to help you all to the very limits of my power.

Above all an immediate friendly public gesture or statement from
Attlee or Bevin or both is desirable and I hope they will follow
your example.

Most affectionate greetings always.

EVATT