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implying both that the United Kingdom was withdrawing from its proper
share of responsibility in the Pacific area and that Australia and New
Zealand, in conjunction with the United States, were disinteresting
themselves in territories, and particularly British territories (e. g.
Malaya, North Borneo), in the area of the East Indies. It might also
give the impression that the United Kingdom was being unduly subservient
to the United States in the Pacific, which, at a time when public opinion in
the United Kingdom is particularly sensitive on this point in relation to
Naval appointments in the Atlantic, would not be in the best interests of
Anglo-American relations. Indeed, neither of these impressions would
be helpful to our common cause, which is why I feel justified in speaking
to you so frankly on the subject. Both of these impressions would in fact
be strengthened if the Philippines were included as this would point up
the exclusion of the United Kingdom.
I want to put our difficulties frankly to you and I know that you
will reply in the same spirit and let me know what you think. I do not
want to make any official suggestions at this stage and that is why I am
sending this personal message. But the sort of points on which we would
like your views are whether there is any way in which the United Kingdom
could participate in or be associated with the Treaty, and whether the
Treaty could be so framed as to form a stepping-stone towards the wider
regional organisation we have in mind.
Alternatively could the United
States guarantee take some other form which would get over some of our
difficulties? In any case, we hope that you will share our views about
the Philippines and will feel able to press the United States that they
should not be included.
We do not want to hold matters up, if you feel it imperative to
go ahead and if there is any prospect of early endorsement in Washington
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