856E.01/4–547: Telegram
The Chargé in the Netherlands ( Benton ) to the Secretary of State
235. Deptel 159, April 3.53 Foreign Office informed as directed. This morning Vredenburch handed me note dated April 5 which reads as follows:
“I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your note of April 4 in which you inform me that the United States of America recognizes the de facto jurisdiction of the Republic of Indonesia. I assume that it is the intention of the United States Govt to recognize the Republic of Indonesia in conformity with the Linggadjati Agreement, as signed by the Netherlands and Indonesian delegations on March 25 in Batavia. In accordance with this agreement, the Royal Netherlands Govt remain solely and exclusively responsible for all foreign relations of the Kingdom of the Netherlands until the United States of Indonesia and the Netherland-Indonesian Union will have been constituted. I had already the honour to bring this to your attention in my note of April 3.
“Therefore, all matters concerning the Netherlands Indies, whether re territories being under the de facto authority of the Republic of Indonesia, or other component parts of the future United States of Indonesia, as for example the state East Indonesia, or other territories, whose status remains to be established, should be dealt with by the consular officers of foreign powers through the intermediacy of the Far Eastern Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Batavia.”
For note April 3, please see Embtel 233, April 4. Vredenburch expressed regret that we had brought up question recognition at this time, adding that it could only tend make more difficult Dutch relations with Indonesians. He also expressed strong hope that, if Dept makes public statement to effect that AmConsul General Batavia being authorized deal with Republican Govt on matters within competence that Govt on a de facto basis on behalf American Govt, such statement should make it clear that dealings envisaged should be through, or at least have sanction of, Netherlands Foreign Office representative Batavia.
- See last paragraph of telegram 89, April 3, to Batavia, and footnote 49, p. 912.↩