On April 30, the Burmese Ambassador in Washington sent a note to our Ambassador there requesting the assistance and cooperation of the Canadian Government in obtaining the admission of Burma to the Far Eastern Commission.

2. Article V of the Terms of Reference of the Far Eastern Commission (Moscow agreement of December 27, [945), which provides for the admission of new members reads as follows:

"The membership of the Commission may he increased by agreement among the participating powers as conditions warrant, by the addition of representatives of other United Nations in the Far East or having territories therein."

3. Pakistan has been the only country to apply for membership under the terms of this article. Since it was generally recognised that the Commission, as such, was not competent to admit new members, it was agreed that the application of Pakistan should be dealt with by an exchange of views through the diplomatic representatives in Washington of the eleven governments participating in the Commission. The matter is still pending. Burma has an equally supportable claim to membership on the Far Eastern Commission.

4. Burma's interests in the settlement with Japan are these: With a population of fifteen million and considerable natural wealth, Burma will become an increasingly important far eastern state. The fact that her territory was fought over from end to end in the war with Japan gives her reason to request a voice in the formulation of the policies and principles by which the Japanese Government is to fulfil the terms of surrender. Burma's war damage and losses constitute a good portion of the United Kingdom claim for reparations from Japan. Without special agreement, the United Kingdom could not now continue to represent Burma's interests in the Far Eastern Commission. It would appear more appropriate for Burma to have her own representative.

5. The genuineness of Burma's independence, and its capacity to play a part in international affairs are generally recognised. Anglo-Burmese agreements do rtot in any way limit the independence of the country. Burma has been judged competent to assume the responsibilities of United Nations membership. On April 19 the General Assembly approved Burma's application by unanimous vote.

6. It would be in Canada's interest, I think, to support Burma's application for membership in the Far Eastern Commission. To oppose it would he regarded in Asia as a slight to a country whose right to secede from the British Commonwealth we have all recognized. Canada supported Burma's application for membership in the United Nations. We have already recognized her interest in the Japanese peace settlement by agreeing to her participation in the Canberra Conference last summer. We have advocated the view that all states which fought Japan and which have important interests in the Far East, have a right to take a direct part in the formulation of a peace settlement with Japan. Having agreed to support Pakistan's application for membership in the Far Eastern Commission, we should, I think, support Burma's.

7. I should like to have your approval for instructing the Canadian Ambassador in Washington to inform the Burmese Ambassador, in reply to his note of April 30, that Canada will support Burma's application for membership in the Far Eastern Commission.¹⁸

E[SCOTT] REID

¹⁸Note marginale :/Marginal note: I agree. St. L[aurent]