856D.00/10–2245

Memorandum by the Director of the Office of Far Eastern Affairs (Vincent)18

Reference is made to Mr. Hickerson’s conversation with Mr. Vredenburch, Counselor of the Netherlands Embassy,19 with regard to a statement in my speech on Saturday for the Foreign Policy Association,20 which reads as follows: “It is not our intention to assist or participate in forceful measures for the imposition of control by the territorial sovereigns but we would be prepared to lend our assistance, if requested to do so, in efforts to reach peaceful agreements in these disturbed areas.” I would suggest that Mr. Vredenburch be informed along the following lines.

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The suggestion that we would be prepared to lend our assistance, if requested to do so, represents no new departure by the Department in regard to the situation in the Dutch East Indies. Read as a part of the full sentence it may be explained as having been included in the speech to get away from the negative statement that “It is not our intention to assist or participate in forceful measures for the imposition of control by the territorial sovereigns”. The territorial sovereigns are under no obligation, it would seem obvious, to request assistance; we are not expressing a desire that they do so; but if they should wish to do so they would not, as the statement indicates, find on our part a purely negative attitude toward the matter. Mr. Vredenburch inquired from whom we would expect the request to come. In the paragraph in regard to Southeast Asia, it is made clear that we do not question Dutch sovereignty in the Netherlands Indies. It should be equally clear that we would entertain requests for whatever assistance might be desired only from the territorial sovereigns. Mr. Vredenburch asked to whom the offer is addressed. The answer is that the “offer” is addressed to no one. It is a simple indication of our willingness to be helpful, in what is manifestly a difficult situation, made to a Forum of the Foreign Policy Association.

J[ohn] C[arter] V[incent]
  1. Addressed to the Director of the Office of European Affairs (Matthews) and to the Deputy Director (Hickerson).
  2. Memorandum of conversation not printed.
  3. For text of Mr. Vincent’s speech of October 20, see Department of State Bulletin, October 21, 1945, p. 644.