CAB129-45 — Page 10

ANNEX A

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j.

DRAFT PERSONAL MESSAGE TO MR. MENZIES

I got back from my visit to Southern Africa last week-end, after

a most interesting, but exhausting tour. I had, of course, kept in touch

with developments and had followed with very great interest the dis-

cussions which you and the New Zealanders had with the Americans about

the project for a Defence Pact.

This is obviously a development of the first importance, not only

for you, but also for us as well. We certainly take it most seriously and

the Cabinet here had already had the matter in front of them before I got

back. Indeed the sole reason why we have not been able to let you have a

reply earlier is that Ministers here wanted time to consider it carefully.

This is a very big thing: we want to help in every way to bring it to

fruition with the maximum benefit to the common cause.

Let me dispose of one point first. I was very disturbed to find

that there had been some misunderstanding between us about the earlier

stages of this business. If we on our side have done anything in any way

to cause this misunderstanding, then I am very sorry. It was certainly

not our intention to put a spoke in the wheel in any way: all we were anxious

to do was to let you have our preliminary views at the earliest possible

moment so that they could be taken into account before policy was formu-

lated. The memorandum which Harrison gave to the Prime Minister on

the 22nd February shews that your Government feels strongly on a number

of points. We quite understand your anxieties and I am seeing Harrison

and giving him an aide memoire which deals with these points of detail.

On the main issue our objective is the same. We fully under-

stand the defence requirements of Australia and New Zealand and have

always been anxious to help you to secure a guarantee of your security by

the United States. We completely accept your thesis that it is essential

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for your back door to be bolted.

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A guarantee by the United States would

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