Shortly after midday today Mohammed Ali called on Mr. Heeney to receive a copy of the statement to be made by the Minister in the House of Commons this afternoon. A copy of this statement is attached.²⁸

2. Mr. Heeney referred briefly to the contribution of $25 million which the Cana­dian Government was planning to make to the Colombo Plan in its first year; he emphasized that it was to be made available provided other countries were also contributing so that the broad objectives of the Plan could be attained. Mohammed Ali remarked that the proviso was a prudent one. Nobody would think of donating half the funds needed to build a hospital without a proviso that the money would only be available if other contributors made up the other half.

3. Mr. Heeney went on to say that we now wished to explore with the Pakistan authorities what supplies they might wish to obtain under the Colombo Plan. He warned that many commodities were in very short supply these days. There would have to be discussions with officials of other Departments. Mohammed Ali men­tioned that he had recently received a list of commodities which the Pakistanis were having difficulty in getting from Canada. He would send us this list. Discussions could follow. Mr. Heeney said that these discussions should take place in Ottawa.

4. Mr. Heeney went on to say that whatever assistance was provided by Canada would have to be covered by a formal bilateral agreement. He suggested that when this had been drawn up - presumably in Ottawa - it should be signed in Karachi. Mohammed Ali readily agreed that this would give the best sort of publicity to Canadian assistance to Pakistan.

5. We shall keep you informed of developments. You will see from the Minister's statement that wheat is likely to be provided for India in connection with the Colombo Plan. This matter will naturally receive our primary attention.

6. Would you please convey the information in this despatch to the other missions in Karachi that are interested in the Colombo Plan? when you were in Colombo earlier this month, acting as head of our delegation, you emphasized the need for exchange of information at the national level. It would seem appropriate for you to take some initiative in this matter in Karachi.

A.F.W. PLUMPTRE
for Secretary of State
for External Affairs

²⁸ Voir Canada, Chambre des Communes, Débats, 1951, volume 1, pp. 547-548.
See Canada, House of Commons, Debates, 1951, Volume I, pp. 537-538.