- Jul 2, 2018
- 2,694
 |
MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS |
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: TOP SECRET (ENCRYPTED) |
| 6 January 2004 |
| Dear Mr. Bernier, As we understand it, there is a state of war between Canada and France and that Canada has begun operations against France in order to achieve your goals within this war. Whilst we stand wholeheartedly with the people of Canada to respond to the terrorist attacks that occurred on your soil with such a devastating loss of life, we do maintain some concerns. As you may be aware, France maintains 3 territories within the Pacific region: New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna and French Polynesia. All of these territories are members of the South Pacific Forum and Australia maintains a special relationship to defend and develop these territories. At this moment in time, we have no intelligence to suggest that France has any forces based in these territories. We would appreciate it if Canada maintained restraint when it comes to the Pacific possessions, to avoid any potential miscommunication or unfortunate confrontation between Australia and Canada. Australia keeps a close eye on our region and we will of course, inform Canada of any developments which may be of concern to Canada. We will not allow France to use their Pacific possessions as spring-boards to attack Canada, the United States or any other nation which Australia considers an ally. We maintain a tight security regime in this region. Despite Canada's decision to remove the British monarchy, they will always maintain a special status as a former Commonwealth realm and as a nation within the Anglosphere. We would appreciate it if a line of communication remained open, should the situation change in the Pacific. Yours sincerely, Kevin Rudd. |
Parliament House, CANBERRA, ACT 2600 Telephone: (02) 6277 7700 |
| Protective Marking: | Business Impact Level: | Compromise of Information Confidentiality: | Required to be Encrypted: |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNOFFICIAL | No Business Impact | No damage. This information does not form part of official duty. |
|
| OFFICIAL | Low Business Impact | No or insignificant damage. This is the majority of routine information. |
|
| OFFICIAL: Sensitive | Low to Medium Business Impact | Limited damage to an individual, organisation or government generally if compromised. |
|
| PROTECTED | High Business Impact | Damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals. |
|
| SECRET | Extreme Business Impact | Serious damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals. |
|
| TOP SECRET | Catastrophic Business Impact | Exceptionally grave damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals. |
|
Alex