51. Telegram 6178 From the Embassy in Australia to the Department of State, September 20, 1974, 0607Z.1 2
September
20, 1974, 0607Z
TELEGRAM
Department of State
CANBERRA 6178
P 200607Z SEP 74
FM AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
TO SECSTATE
WASHDC PRIORITY 4116
CANBERRA 6178
E.O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: PFOR, AS, US
SUBJECT: WHITLAM MEETING
WITH PRESIDENT
REF: STATE 204300
- 1.
- MEETING BETWEEN PRESIDENT AND PRIMIN WHITLAM OCCURS AT A TIME WHEN US-AUSTRALIAN RELATIONS HAVE GREATLY IMPROVED SINCE END OF 1972 WHEN LABOR CAME INTO POWER. WHAT ISSUES THERE ARE IN OUR RELATIONS ARE MUTED THESE DAYS, PARTLY BECAUSE OF AUSTRALIA’S INTERNAL PREOCCUPATIONS (INFLATION AND UNEMPLOYMENT) AND BECAUSE OF WHITLAM’S MATURING VIEWS ON INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, INCLUDING US-AUSTRALIAN RELATIONS.
- 2.
- WHITLAM’S PRINCIPAL AIM IN WASHINGTON WILL BE TO ESTABLISH THE VERY BEST PERSONAL AND OFFICIAL RELATIONS WITH THE PRESIDENT AND HIS ADMINISTRATION AND HE WILL BE INTERESTED IN GAINING INSIGHTS INTO THE PRESIDENT’S ATTITUDES TOWARDS AUSTRALIA AND TOWARD THIRD COUNTRY PROBLEMS WHERE US AND AUSTRALIA HAVE A MAJOR STAKE.
- 3.
- WHITLAM IS LIKELY TO RAISE, IN THE CONTEXT OF HIS DESIRE TO MAINTAIN CLOSE US-AUSTRALIAN COOPERATION IN WORLD AFFAIRS, THE IMPORTANCE HE PERSONALLY ATTACHES TO ANZUS AND TO CERTAIN US FACILITIES IN AUSTRALIA, WHICH ARE NOW BEING PLACED ON A MORE FULLY JOINT US-AUSTRALIAN RESPONSIBILITY BASIS. HE MAY PROVIDE SOME STRONG PERSONAL ORAL ASSURANCES ON HIS CONTINUING SUPPORT FOR THESE FACILITIES.
- 4.
- WHITLAM WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT US AND AUSTRALIAN POSITIONS ON THIRD COUNTRY ISSUES (NOTABLY RE INDOCHINA) AND NOT ALWAYS THE SAME, BUT DIFFERENCES ARE NEGLIGIBLE COMPARED TO AREAS OF FULL AGREEMENT AND COOPERATION. HE MAY SAY THAT HE WILL GREATLY WELCOME IMPROVED CONSULTATION ON ISSUES OF MUTUAL CONCERN AND THAT, FOR HIS PART, HE WILL DO WHAT HE CAN TO AVOID COMPLICATING OUR PROBLEMS WHEN AND IF WE SHOULD HAVE DIFFERENCES OF VIEWPOINTS. (THIS MIGHT BE HIS INDIRECT WAY OF TRYING TO SAY THAT HE WILL NOT INDULGE IN THE KIND OF GRATUITOUS REMARKS THAT HAVE OCCASIONALLY FILED OUR RELATIONS SINCE ALP CAME INTO POWER, BUT NOT FOR FIVE MONTHS NOW.)
- 5.
- AS TIME PROVIDES, WHITLAM WILL WANT TO GET INTO SPECIFIC SUBJECTS OF KEEN INTEREST TO GOA, SUCH AS NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION (INDIAN EXPLOSION SHOCKED AUSTRALIA); INDIAN OCEAN (IS THERE SOME WAY US AND USSR CAN AGREE ON RESTRAINTS AND AVOID ESCALATORY BUILD-UP?); PRESIDENT’S TRIP TO JAPAN AND HOW PRESIDENT SEES JAPAN MOVING IN WORLD AFFAIRS; PRESIDENT’S VIEWS OF US-USSR RELATIONS AS WELL AS US-CHINESE RELATIONS AND PROSPECTS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, INCLUDING INDOCHINA.
- 6.
- THE PRESIDENT SHOULD MENTION HIS WARM REGARD FOR AUSTRALIA AND AUSTRALIANS (ANYTHING PERSONAL HERE WILL BE MOST APPRECIATED, SUCH AS WARTIME EXPERIENCES, ETC.) AND HIS HIGH HOPES FOR US-AUSTRALIAN RELATIONS. THE PRESIDENT WILL NATURALLY WISH TO COVER THE ESSENTIALITY OF CONTINUED COOPERATION BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND THE US IN MAINTAINING PRESENT JOINT FACILITIES, DEFENSE AND INTELLIGENCE SHARING AND ANZUS RELATIONS GENERALLY. HE MIGHT NOTE THAT ANZUS HAS IN MANY WAYS BEEN THE LEAST CONTROVERSIAL AND MOST NATURAL OF OUR INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCES.
- 7.
- THE PRESIDENT MIGHT POINT OUT THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF US-AUSTRALIAN COOPERATION, ESPECIALLY IN AREAS OF WORLDWIDE CONCERN WHERE US AND AUSTRALIAN RESOURCES WILL PLAY AN EVEN MORE SIGNIFICANT ROLE. HE MIGHT STRESS HIS DESIRE FOR THE BEST IN THE WAY OF FRANK CONSULTATIONS AND EXCHANGES, FRANKLY ADMITTING THAT THESE HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN THE BEST, BUT EXPRESSING HIS FIRM INTENTION TO SEE THAT THEY IMPROVE.
- 8.
- THE PRESIDENT MIGHT ALSO FIND OCCASION (IF WHITLAM HAS NOT COVERED IT) TO SAY THAT, WHILE DIFFERENCES ARE TO BE EXPECTED BETWEEN EVEN SUCH GOOD FRIENDS AS AUSTRALIA AND THE US, HE WOULD HOPE THAT THESE DIFFERENCES COULD BE TALKED OUT QUIETLY AND FRANKLY AND WORKED OUT IN SUCH A WAY THAT NEITHER COUNTRY BY ITS WORDS OR ACTIONS WOULD UNNECESSARILY COMPLICATE THE PROBLEMS OF THE OTHER.
- 9.
- THE PRESIDENT MIGHT ASK WHITLAM FOR HIS VIEWS ON THE FUTURE OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA AND OF AUSTRALIAN-INDONESIAN RELATIONS. THESE ARE SUBJECTS OF GREAT MOMENT AND INTEREST TO AUSTRALIA, WHERE WHITLAM IS LIKELY TO SPEAK FRANKLY AND INFORMATIVELY. CERTAINLY HE WILL APPRECIATE BEING ASKED.
- 10.
- THE ELEMENT OF FRANKNESS WILL BE PARTICULARLY APPRECIATED BY WHITLAM, AND I AM SURE HE WILL PROTECT CONFIDENCES. SECRETARY KISSINGER’S FORTHRIGHTNESS IN HIS RECENT MEETING WITH AMBASSADOR SHAW WAS DEEPLY APPRECIATED HERE BY THE VERY FEW AUSTRALIANS WHO WERE PRIVY TO SHAW’S REPORT ON THIS PRIVILEGED CONVERSATION.
- 11.
- FINALLY, AND ALMOST INEVITABLY, WHITLAM WILL EXTEND A GENUINELY CORDIAL INVITATION FOR THE PRESIDENT TO VISIT AUSTRALIA WHENEVER THAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE. GREEN