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The Prime Minister of Australia to the Prime Minister of New Zealand

The following telegram has been transmitted to the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs:

It has been noted from your telegram (No. 123) that unless the situation shows marked improvement you proposed to order convoy US 2 to be diverted before entering the Gulf of Aden. Our proposal for detention at Colombo was to safeguard ourselves against a situation in which, under certain possible circumstances, our troops might be held up indefinitely in some port with less favourable climatic and other conditions than Colombo.

Should it arise, we assume that our concurrence in the convoy proceeding as originally arranged will cover this eventuality, and the Chief of the Naval Staff has been requested, therefore, to advise the Commander of the escort as desired.