856E. 00/12–2345: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Netherlands (Hornbeck) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 24—1:46 p.m.]
324. The following statement was issued by the Netherlands Government evening of December 22:
“The Netherlands Government have taken cognizance with deep and sincere appreciation of the statement issued by the Department of State on December 19, 1945 concerning the present situation in the Netherlands Indies.
This statement clearly expresses, on the one hand, the task which was assigned to the Southeast Asian Command in that area by the Allies and, on the other hand, the necessity for the Netherlands authorities as representatives of the territorial sovereign and the Indonesian leaders to find a solution on a mutual basis for the problems which have arisen.
The Netherlands Government fully realize the difficulties which the Southeast Asia Command faces in the execution of this task; nevertheless they strongly urge that this task and in particular the disarmament and the evacuation of the Japanese Army, the surrender of Japanese equipment and the protection of the prisoners of war and internees be completed in spite of these difficulties.
The extreme danger to which many are exposed as a result of unpardonable excesses committed by extremist elements, forces the Netherlands Government to emphasize that if only for humanitarian reasons these Allied aims should be reached at the earliest possible moment.
It is the ardent desire of the Netherlands Government to contribute to these aims with all possible means especially in seeking a peaceful solution in mutual consultation with the Indonesians in order to end the needless bloodshed of which so many peaceful Hollanders, Indonesians, Chinese and others have or may yet become the innocent victims.
The Netherlands Government are fully conscious of their responsibility towards the many different people of the Kingdom and they gratefully take this opportunity to state categorically that nothing will be left undone in order to further a solution of the Indonesian problem in conformity with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations Organization which partly owes its liberal and progressive interpretation especially with regard to the dependent areas to the efforts of the Netherlands delegation at San Francisco.38
In this connection the Netherlands Government observe that the discussions with the Indonesian leaders have not been interrupted and now continue notwithstanding Dr. Van Mook’s visit to the Netherlands. These discussions are inspired as far as the Netherlands Government is concerned by well-defined plans which are in agreement with the principles of the Charter.
[Page 1185]The Netherlands Government as the American Government are solely animated by the desire to arrive at an agreement satisfactory to all parties, which will further the prosperity and the happiness of Indonesia and the stability in that area.[“]
- For documentation regarding the United Nations Conference at San Francisco, April 25–June 26, 1945, see vol. i, pp. 1 ff.↩