Office of the Historian

501.BC Indonesia/10–1047: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin)

confidential
Washington, October 10, 1947—11 p.m.

466. Re Australian proposal18 which would provide for a measured withdrawal Dutch and Indo forces from present positions. Dept agrees with purpose of proposal to reduce violations of cease fire. However, we regard proposal as entirely unfeasible in view guerrilla character of military action which has been discussed at length in SC and in view absence static military front. We believe you should abstain in vote on Australian proposal.19

Lovett
  1. For text of Australian proposal, discussed on October 11 in the Security Council, see SC, 2nd yr., p. 2555.↩
  2. In an urgent telegram, GAdel 28, received by New York on October 14, 12:12 p.m., the Acting Secretary informed Senator Austin that the Department had concluded he should not take an active part and should abstain from voting “in order not to impair usefulness of this Government as the jointly-selected member of the SC’s Committee of Good Offices”. (501 GAdel—Telegrams, 1947)↩