No. # y^l^M Subject: Reference to previous correspondence: With the compliments of &*>c&k A copy has also been sent to /A/ ^a^^ (^ZS If**. ^° Dominions Office, Downing Street, 193 lil *JAR. 1939 CBMSV) Wt 15568.3ft37 2O.OO00O 7;36 H A SP Op 610 AUSTRALIA Proa the GoTornment of the Commonwealth of Australia* iXttod Oth March, 1959. Koooivod l0*24.a,». 8th Maroho HOo 24o Your telegram of the 7th tlaroh Pacific Conference reoeivedo A press oablo tfrom London in the following terms is being published here*. Begins:- An Imperial pacific Conferonoe will bo hold in How Zealand late this month. The Conference was initiated by Hew Zealand and will be restricted to Defence0 Britain Australia and Hew Zealand will participate and it io expected that Lieutenant Gonoral Sattiros and Sir Arthur Lonessoyj in addition to other defence personalities from London will go to Hew Zealand for the Conforonoe, The object of tho Conference is to establish on imperial policy for Dofenoo in the Pacific* Enda0 As tho press naturally are following this up by request for statement so far aG Australia concexTEiea I telephoned the Prime Minister of How Zealand who however still thinfes that statement should co issued simultaneous ly0 Have sent him today following telegram* Begins:* Following ray telegram of yesterday and telephone message today following is proposed statement with regard to tho Pacific Conference Begins. Prims Minister announced that tho Gotoramenta of irow Zealand United Kingdom and Australia have agreed to hold at en. early date in How Zealand a Conference on mutual defonoe interests in tho Pacific, The Con foronco will bo confined to Servioo exports but it is undorstood that the Highfaoisnissi oner for Western Pacific will aloo attond. It will bo impossible for Ministers of the United Kingdom ard Australia to bo present. The Australian Australian x-epresontatiye will be Vice Admiral sir Ragnar Colvin first lTa?al Member and Senior officers of the Australian Ars^ and Air tforoeso Ut» Isrons said that there was a continuous exchange of technical information between the Sorvioes of the United Kincdon and 1Tq\7 Zealand and Australia, This was supplemented by the exchange of ofiicor3 and^p the joint oxeroisos which were regularly carried out between Australia and XJow Zealand Squadrons* It was new felt that the time was opportune for a Round Sable discussion between the Service Representatives upon broad Defence problems associated with the Pacific0 In the absence of Etthietoro and as a purely technical Confers&o©; Service Representatives would ongafse in anexohango of information in regard to Defence plans of parte of the Empire concerned particularly in respeot of their intor-relationflo The I'rirae Minister recalled the rofereneo in the published proceedings of the injporial Confcronoo of 1957s Qnd those by Australia and Hew Zealand particularly .> to the importance of oloso co-operation in Dofonce matters, Mr, Lyons also reforred to tho following statement ttom tho Dcfenoe Minister's policy statement on the 6th December last "Our lintewith other parts of the British Umpire are being strengthened by air cotsaunications and strategic bases« Thus 3)ar7Jia is opposite the end of tho archway of which Singapore is the other pillar* ?ort Moresby is to be developed as a base for mobile Il&val and Air Forces and through its hand will be joined with Hew Zealand and Britain through the Pacific Islands as well as across the Tasman'S the The discussions of experts would not involvo/coriioiitinsnt the oi/Goverarcont in any respect as tho questions of policy for either peace or war were tho subject for determination by the Governments concerned* Discussions of this nature between exports would be helpful in the esaMnation of military aspects of Defence Schemep policy policy ciuftetjlonfl hein*? necessarily reserved for consultation between Ministers at the Imperial Conferences. KndSo I Jwre told the pre3o today that I oannot njaSse a statement in re&ird to the natter until the throe Governments inane r>tatoTn?ntsa*nultanoously. m order to prevent press speculation I think wo 3hould do this at the earliest noRr.ihlo doto* Glad of a&vioo from you v/hather tho above statement acceptable to you anil earliest date on wMoh you are agreeable to puW-iah somewhat oiwilar statoLiont so far as your Government eor.ce>*ned- Won sage to JTou Ssaland ends, Glad to reooive eerLy advice with regard to your o#reoKent or otherwise 05.' t orwi/ proposed statement*