CONFIDENTIAL Reference........ Mr. Edes As requested, I attach a draft from you to Mr.Weir explaining why we did not forward the applicationsfor associate membership of UNESCO. 2. It seems to me that, given the need to focus theRulers' attentions to UAE matters, it would have beenout of the question to have forwarded applicationspiecemeal. Q Our right tact, I suggest, would be to explain tothe Rulers that their applications were not forwardedfor this reason and to set in hand necessary arrangementsfor submitting a collective UAE application to WHO inApril 1971. I understand from UN (E and S) Departmentthat the example of the Federation of Rhodesia andNyasaland would provide a precedent for collectiveassociate membership of WHO by a Union that had notachieved full responsibility for its external affairs.This will no doubt need closer examination. bo O 4. It will also be necessary to examine the questionof merging the existing Bahraini Qatari memberships ofWHO with that of the UAE as a whole, and we will haveto make sure that an appropriate secretariat for handlingthe collective membership is set up in the Gulf. TheUK Mission in Geneva will have to approach the WHOsecretariat to clear the way for all this. See Me Butler'slebee fan ) Flay D ten (H.D.A.C. Miers)11 September, 1970 dy CONFIDENTIAL
