Memorandum from Robert Lovett to President Harry S. Truman, with Attachment

DECLASSIFIED E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or (E) DEPARTMENT OF STATE Dept. of State letter, Aug. 9, 1973, WASHINGTON By NLT He in NARS Date 5-2/75 October 7, 1947 MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT WBS. Subject: Call of Dr. H. V. Evatt, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs 3. ARCHIVES "NATIONAL SERVICE'" RECORDS AND Dr. Evatt may wish to discuss the following matters when he calls on you on October 7: Japanese Peace Treaty: Dr. Evatt has been constantly pressing for early consideration of a Japanese peace set- tlement. He may suggest that we propose an eleven nation conference be held at an early date to discuss procedures regardless of the attitude of the Soviet Union which thus far has maintained its position that the Council of Foreign Ministers is the proper body to consider the Japanese treaty. China has been inclined to follow the Soviet Union's lead. As both the Soviet Union and China oppose our origi- nal proposal for a simple two-thirds voting system, we do not think it advisable to issue invitations to a conference until there is more general agreement on the voting pro- cedure. While it is of course possible that we may have to recede from our position regarding a two-thirds vote, you may wish to avoid making any direct commitments with re- spect to our final position on voting. Pacific Bases: Dr. Evatt may bring up the question of joint United States-Australian bases in the Pacific. You will recall that we withdrew our request for joint rights at Manus some months ago at the suggestion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and we have no further interest in having bases in territory under Australian jurisdiction. Palestine: As you know, Dr. Evatt is Chairman of the ad hoc Committee on Palestine, and he may inquire what the American attitude toward the Palestine problem will be. The Secretary of State, in his address to the General Assembly of September 17, said the American Government welcomed the unanimous SECRET