ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE PAR EAST

The Official Secretary to the United Kingdom High Commissioner in
Canberra has advised that the composition of the United Kingdom
delegation to the June meeting [1] of the Economic Commission for
Asia and the Far East will be as follows:

Sir Andrew Clow (until recently Governor of Assam)
Mr. P.J. Stent (Adviser)
Mr. Benham (Economic Adviser to the Governor-General of the
Malayan Union)
Dr. Clyde (Adviser).

2. The Official Secretary has also advised confidentially that the
United Kingdom Government consider that there will be a strong and
natural desire for an Asiatic Chairman of the Commission and they
are, therefore, exploring the possibility of an Indian or Chinese
Chairman, preferably the former. If suitable Indian or Chinese
candidates are unavailable and other delegates propose an
Australian Chairman, the United Kingdom would support our
candidature.

3. Selection of Vice-Chairman and Rapporteur naturally depends on
the selection of the Chairman. However, for the office of
Rapporteur the United Kingdom considers that a British
Commonwealth or Netherlands candidate would be appropriate, if it
is eventually decided that such a post is necessary.

4. The United Kingdom has no candidate for the post of Executive
Secretary. They feel strongly, however, that in the interests of
the efficiency of the Commission, a practical, hard-working, non-
Asiatic Secretary should be appointed. The United Kingdom
authorities hope that it may be possible for the United States,
Netherlands or Australian Governments to provide suitable
candidates.

5. Our view is that Australia should obtain the post of Chairman
or Vice-Chairman of the Commission. You should, therefore,
endeavour to obtain our nomination and election to one or other of
these posts, [standing only if assured of adequate support]. [2]

6. We do not wish to seek the post of Executive Secretary for an
Australian. If it is suggested that an Australian should be
appointed to the post, however, we would, if possible, accept.

7. On the functions of the Economic Commission for Asia and the
Far East, you should be guided by the need to ensure-
(a) That a proper degree of authority remains vested in the
Economic and Social Council.

(b) That the Economic Commission for Asia is limited to those
functions which it can perform with real effectiveness.

(c) That there is no overlapping between the functions of the
Commission and other international agencies and that, in
particular, the responsibility of the Specialised Agencies for
execution of economic plans in their particular fields is given
full recognition.

8. You should accordingly propose as follows:

1. That co-ordination of Asiatic regional economic plans should be
the responsibility of the Asiatic Commission but that overall
responsibility for interregional co-ordination of plans and co-
ordination of functions should be vested in the Economic and
Social Council (principally through the Economic and Employment
Commission).

2. That the Commission should report fully on its activities to
the Economic and Social Council.

3. That the Commission should make recommendations, through the
E.S.C., designed to have the specialised agencies engage in
regional plans appropriate to the economic development of the
region.

4. That technical economic assistance to administrations in the
region should, so far as possible, be a function of the
specialised agencies and not the Regional Commission.

5. That a survey of general reconstruction progress and continuing
needs in the region (continuation of the work of the Sub-
Commission on Devastated Areas) might be appropriate to the
Commission but that the Specialised Agencies should retain their
responsibility for meeting reconstruction needs in their specific
fields and that the Regional Commission should participate only
when a clear need exists.

6. That field surveys should be conducted by the Specialised
Agencies but that, where appropriate to the function of co-
ordinating regional plans, the Economic Commission for Asia should
be represented on the field survey teams and should report on the
result of the survey to the Economic and Social Council.

7. That the views of governments within the area might be sought
on types of assistance they would wish from the Commission and on
assistance which they consider the Commission could provide.

8. That any recommendations to be made to member governments
should be limited to those associated with co-ordination of
economic plans in the narrower sense and that policy matters
should be referred to the E.S.C.

9. That creation of subsidiary bodies should be limited so as to
prevent the appearance of a multitude of regional splinter
agencies.

10. That it is of particular importance that use should be made of
the existing Killearn Conferences [3] in developing machinery for
the co-ordination of economic plans in the region.

11. That the Commission should consult and be consulted by Allied
Control Authorities in the region for the purpose of mutual
information and advice on matters concerning the economies of
occupied territories in relation to the rest of the Asiatic and
Far Eastern economy.

12. That all administrations in the region should be brought into
association with the work of the Commission.

13. That, subject to the demands of policy laid down by the
Statistical Commission, the Commission might endeavour to obtain
the adoption of standard statistical nomenclature throughout the
region.

14. That, subject to the demands of policy laid down by the
Transport and Communications Commission, the Commission should
concern itself with transport problems of regional importance in
Asia and the Far East.