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make a significant contribution to the strengthering of joint plans for global
strategy and for the defence of the Middle East, which I know from our
recent talks in London is so much in your mind. In view of what I say
below, therefore, let there be no mistake that we are fully behind you in
your desire for a defence guarantee from the United States.
At the same time, the Cabinet here feel that we should not embark
on this new venture without the most careful consideration of the reper-
cussions which a Treaty on the lines of the present draft is likely to have:
a Treaty of this kind is bound to have an effect on strategy, on international
affairs and on Commonwealth relations,
The Cabinet still have some real anxieties about the draft in its
present forin and the Prime Minister has authorised me to put our worries
frankly to you so that we can consider together what best can be done about
them.
A regional defence system, extending to South-East Asia and the
Indian sub-continent and including the islands of the East Indies and the
Pacific has always been for us a most desirable long-term objective as
completing the world-wide defence chain of which the North Atlantic Treaty
was the first link. We are concerned lest a Treaty setting up a defence
council limited to Australia, New Zealand and the United States might set
back rather than assist the ultimate achievement of this major objective.
The inclusion of the Philippines would make matters even worse from this
point of view.
We also fear that a Treaty in the form as now drafted would have
unfortunate political repercussions in the United Kingdom, and perhaps
also in other parts of the Commonwealth.
It does seem to us that there
is a very real danger that, in view of the United Kingdom's essential
interest in the Pacific, arising from her Commonwealth connections as
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