I wish to thank you for your communication of October 16, 1947 in
which you express the hope that the United States Government will
accept an invitation to participate in a preparatory meeting on
the South Pacific Commission to be held at Sydney in November of
this year.

I note in your communication that this invitation has been
accepted by every government except the United States. My
Government has some hesitation in taking further steps to
implement the Agreement before final acceptance, but does not wish
to delay any necessary preliminary work which may be useful for
the first meeting of the Commission. Therefore, if all other
interested governments consider that such a preparatory meeting in
November is necessary, the United States will also participate.

My Government understands that the purpose of this meeting is to
make recommendations which might assist the Commission, once it is
constituted, to carry out more expeditiously its functions as set
forth in the Agreement. Details regarding the views of my
Government on the proposed meeting are being communicated to the
American Embassy in Canberra. [1]