Your 1134. [1] There has been delay in communicating as your
telegram was received 19th February p.m. It is most unwise for
Australian representatives to take part or be present at any such
discussions and I must express surprise and concern that this has
been done without our prior approval. If there is claim of
sovereignty, it should be made openly before the permanent court
and resisted openly. My own conviction is that claim is stale and
not genuine and is made solely for the purpose of bargaining. I
hope the United Kingdom and New Zealand will resist it and refuse
to discuss it further, at least in the way they are suggesting.