Alan Renouf

Alan Renouf was born in Sydney in 1919 and studied law at the University of Sydney. Wounded while serving with the army in New Guinea, he entered diplomacy during the Second World War. His early work included the preparations for the United Nations, service with Australia's delegation, and a position in the UN Secretariat's legal office. Posts in Africa and Europe followed, including leadership of the missions in Nigeria, Yugoslavia, and France. ¹

While ambassador in Paris, Renouf negotiated with China's ambassador Huang Chen over Australia's recognition of the People's Republic in December 1972. They negotiated wording on Taiwan, the timetable for closing Australia's Taipei embassy, and the treatment of the departing mission's property. He resisted extending the diplomatic change into a prohibition on private trade with Taiwan. Canberra approved the text, and the two ambassadors settled the remaining arrangements for establishing relations. ^{2, 3, 4}

He became secretary of Foreign Affairs in 1974. A December 1975 submission bearing his name recommended accepting East Timor's incorporation into Indonesia, prioritising relations with Jakarta and judging that Australia could not reverse events. The document acknowledged that a subsequent act of self-determination would probably be manipulated. It nevertheless argued for maintaining international pressure for self-determination to protect Timorese welfare, preserve legal legitimacy, and allow reconsideration if resistance continued. Peacock's annotation reserved the policy decision for Cabinet. ^{5, 6}

After disagreements with Malcolm Fraser, Renouf returned to Washington as ambassador in 1977, remaining until 1979. He pressed the Carter administration for consultation and organised Fraser's visit. He helped obtain assurances that a prospective American–Soviet agreement in the Indian Ocean would not weaken ANZUS. At the June 1978 ANZUS Council meeting, he strengthened the communiqué to state that such an agreement must not detract from the alliance. ⁵

Renouf continued writing after diplomatic service. His books included The Frightened Country, a critique of Australian foreign policy, and studies of H. V. Evatt and Malcolm Fraser. He completed a doctorate in political history in 1981, served on the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, worked as a legal consultant, and lectured through the University of the Third Age. He died in 2008. ¹