Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

You will have no doubt heard from Berendsen that Eggleston has
consulted him in regard to our proposal for regular meetings so as
to restore Pacific War Council in Washington to a position in
which it can again discuss Pacific affairs as in 1942. I have been
concerned that because of a variety of reasons the Council has in
recent months fallen into disuse and feel strongly that we should
combine in requesting a resumption of its meetings. My own
experience with the Council convinced me that with proper energy
and concentration this body, although it is not executive, can
provide a regular opportunity for Australia and New Zealand of
discussion with the representatives of other Governments
interested in the Pacific at the highest political level and that
if we are clear as to our objectives such opportunity can be
turned to great advantage for us. Nash [1] and I made full use of
Council from this point of view. Vital equipment flowed to Pacific
partly as a result of Council discussions, and Australia was in
this way largely saved from invasion.
It has been in my mind that starting gradually from a resumption
of its formal meetings the Council might subsequently be
transformed into a body akin to the sort of Pacific Advisory
Commission which we discussed at Wellington last November, thereby
giving us an invaluable opening for the presentation of Australian
- New Zealand views and
interests in the regulation of Pacific affairs both before and
after a
Japanese armistice.
I am sure that you will see it as a proper and very useful
development of our co-operation that I now suggest you ask
Berendsen to concert closely with Sir Frederic Eggleston on this
matter and to support by every means the suggested course of
action.