Free French Pacific Territory.

With reference to your telegrams 89 and 94. [1] The following are
among the questions which it is suggested should be discussed
between representatives of Australian and New Zealand Governments
and the Free French authorities in the Pacific.

(a) Does acceptance of responsibility by His Majesty's Government
in Commonwealth of Australia extend only to financial assistance
or does it include provision of supplies, men, arms, weapons,
etc.?
(b) If not, is it proposed by Australia to meet the full cost of
such supplies, men, arms, weapons, etc. as the New Zealand
Government consider it proper to provide?
(c) In either case is it proposed that Australia should meet the
requirements of all Free French Forces in Tahiti or is it proposed
that Australian responsibility should be confined to expeditionary
force?
(d) Is it proposed (as is understood by His Majesty's Government
in New Zealand) that Australian responsibility should be limited
to defence matters, and if so how is it proposed to distinguish
between civil and defence liabilities which in some cases are
indistinguishable?
(e) What is the exact line of demarcation proposed between
operational liability which it is assumed the New Zealand
Government will accept and other liabilities?
(f) In so far as the New Zealand Government is ultimately to be
responsible for its proper proportion of expenditure incurred in
respect of French Oceania by the Australian Government, what
arrangements are proposed to enable the New Zealand Government to
ascertain from time to time the liabilities to which they are
likely to be committed and in appropriate cases to express an
opinion on the desirability or otherwise of any course of action
that may be proposed?
(g) What bearings have these proposals on financial arrangements
for Free French Forces generally which have been under discussion
between His Majesty's Government in United Kingdom and General de
Gaulle [2] and which were conveyed to us by the United Kingdom
High Commissioner in New Zealand [3] on 24th February with an
intimation that a similar communication had been sent to the
Australian Government? [4]

2. It will be understood that His Majesty's Government in New
Zealand are, in many respects of the offer [5], [? not] clear as
to the exact implication of the Australian proposals and while
they are in general agreement with these proposals they feel it
essential that matters in doubt should be cleared away as soon as
possible. It is for this reason that they have suggested a
conference and they would now make further suggestion that it
might be convenient to hold such a conference during the period
when M. Brunot [6], who arrives here at the end of this week, is
in New Zealand. If His Majesty's Government in Commonwealth of
Australia see no objection New Zealand would propose to suggest
this to M. Brunot accordingly and to inform the Australian
Government of his views.

3. It will be understood that the New Zealand Government have not
allowed [7] their rendering such assistance as lay in their power
to French Oceania.