Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
Symbol of the Government of Canada

Common menu bar links

Home  >  About the Department

Institutional links

Documents on Canadian External Relations

Browse

DCER : Volume #18 - 667.DEA/11529-40 : MR. MENZIES' REMARKS ABOUT NATO AT PRESS CONFERENCE

<< Previous     Next >>    

Volume #18 - 667.

CHAPTER VII

COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS

PART 4

RELATIONS WITH INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES

SECTION A

AUSTRALIA: VISIT OF PRIME MINISTER TO OTTAWA, JUNE 22-26, 1952

667.

 DEA/11529-40

Memorandum for Secretary of State for External Affairs
CONFIDENTIAL

 Ottawa, June 23rd, 1952

MR. MENZIES' REMARKS ABOUT NATO AT PRESS CONFERENCE


At Mr. Menzies's Press Conference this morning at the Parliamentary Press Gallery, he emphasized the reciprocal importance of North Atlantic, Middle East and South-East Asian security arrangements and the bearing these have on what he termed "the whole picture". He was then asked specifically which NATO activities were of concern to Australia. He replied: "I don't know what NATO is talking about. If I did, we just might have some intelligent contribution to make. Stranger things have happened." He then expressed disappointment that there was no machinery in existence by which Australia could be kept informed of NATO arrangements which, in fact, might be of interest to Australia. When asked whether he would discuss this problem with you, he stated: "I don't know whether Mr. Pearson will be able to help in this matter."52
52 Notre copie du document porte la mention manuscrite suivante:
The following was written on this copy of the document:
He talked to me about this - but had nothing to suggest. I told him we were doing our best to let our friends in Australia know what NATO was doing and I said that Mr. Heeney and Sir Keith Officer were in close touch in Paris. I expressed appreciation of the Australian wishes in this matter and suggested they should examine the matter when the Pacific Security Pact meeting took place this summer. I asked Mr. Menzies if he were aware of the formula we bad adopted for EDC - but he seemed to be ignorant of this. L.B. P[earson]


<< Previous     Next >>    

Date Modified: 2008-07-21
Top of Page
Top of Page
Important Notices