Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, The Far East, Volume VI

501.BC Indonesia/10–1547: Telegram

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

confidential
us urgent

New York, October 15, 1947—12:07 a.m.

1017. For Lovett from Austin. I have the following comments with regard to your telegram GAdel²² regarding the Indonesian case. The announcement in the Council that I would abstain from voting, on the ground that the US Govt does not wish to impair its position as the jointly selected member of the SC’s committee of good offices, would, in my opinion, be subject to the following serious disadvantages:

1. It would place the Belgian and Australian members of the Council in an embarrassing position. They would resent the implied charge that their representative on the committee would be partial to the party which chose them. This implication would contradict the position which Mr. Graham took with Van Zeeland²³ in the presence of Lie, Hodgson, Nisot²⁴ at the first meeting of the committee of three to the effect that they would all proceed on the clear understanding that they represented the SC and interests of the world and not those of either of the parties. The Australian and Belgian would probably find it necessary to make a statement in the Council in the defense of their position. If they should take the alternative course and themselves abstain on the same grounds, the SC would be unable to pass any resolution in the face of obvious non-compliance with the ceasefire order.

2. The USSR and Poland would probably accuse us openly of not having the courage to act on the facts found by our own representative and of seeking refuge in a technicality. They would attempt to create the impression that the US was so pro-Dutch that it was unwilling to admit that the Dutch were violating the SC order.

3. In my opinion, the US cannot divest itself of its responsibilities as a permanent member of the SC or as a member of the UN, bound by the Charter, by reason of becoming a member of a good offices committee. The US is obligated to uphold the Charter and the SC’s orders. If we do not do so, particularly under circumstances which lead others to the conclusion that we are trying to avoid hurting a friendly country at a critical time, other nations will be apt to take similar action when it suits them. I am concerned that an abstention by the US on so grave an issue as the enforcement of the SC’s orders might seriously prejudice our moral position and power of leadership in the UN.

4. In my view, our policy should be carefully reviewed in the interests of the US. The facts reported call for some action by the Council to effectuate its earlier decision. Where the issue involved is the question of obedience to the order of the SC, which affects all members of the UN, I doubt whether there is any valid excuse for an SC member’s non-participation in the decision.

[Austin]

22. See footnote 19, p. 1053.
23. Belgian representative on the Committee on Good Offices (GOC).
24. Belgian alternate representative on the Security Council.