850B.01/27
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Adviser on Political Relations (Dunn)
Count van Rechteren Limpurg, Counselor of The Netherlands Legation, came in this morning under instructions from his Minister to state that The Netherlands Minister regretted very much to see the American press and to hear American radio commentators make reference to an alleged “occupation” of Curaçao and Aruba by French and British military forces. Count van Rechteren said that the Minister felt that it would be regrettable if Japan were to use the expression “occupation”, as carried in the American press, as an excuse to take some preventive action against the Allies in The Netherlands East Indies. The Counselor of the Legation pointed out that any action taken by the French or British armed forces in The Netherlands possessions in the West Indies was along the lines of supporting and assisting the local authorities in the preservation of order and in the prevention of sabotage and other possible subversive movements in those territories. He said his Minister hoped that some correction might be made in the use of the words describing the French and British action in The Netherlands West Indies.