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164 Department of External Affairs to Australian Delegation, United Nations

Cablegram [UNY]279 CANBERRA, 16 October 1946

Your UN.522 [1] and 482. [2]

Minister instructed Bailey and Watt to the effect that any
organisation should be a commission of Economic and Social
Council. In this connection he expressed view that we should give
no encouragement to additional specialised agencies or independent
organisations and that any matter requiring attention of
governments within the field of Economic and Social Council should
be dealt with by the Council or a commission set up by it. This
should guide you when matter discussed at Assembly.

2. See Departmental paper [3] on agenda item 23 reporting the
views of Inter-Departmental Committee which will receive
consideration of Government in due course. Neither Immigration or
Treasury attach importance to participation and you should
carefully avoid any commitment unless otherwise instructed, in
particular avoid suggesting that the Government will make any
significant financial contribution.

1 Dispatched 12 October, it conveyed a request from the Secretary-
General that the Australian representative to the General Assembly
be given full powers to sign the constitution of the international
Refugee Organization.

2 Dispatched 1 October, it foreshadowed further debate in the
General Assembly on the constitution of the refugee organisation
in view of 'Eastern European' opposition to the text adopted by
the Economic and Social Council. (See Document 157 and Volume IX,
Document 290). In response to an External Affairs Dept query, it
predicted insufficient support for a non-permanent commission
under the Economic and Social Council, suggesting instead a non-
permanent commission under the General Assembly.

3 Document 157.


[AA:A1067, ER46/3/15]
Last Updated: 11 September 2013
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