501.BC Indonesia/4–3048: Telegram
The Consul General at Batavia (Livengood) to the Secretary of State
357. Gocus 251. Pringgo Digdo in course visit yesterday brought up question interim period, no doubt in response USDel working paper on timetable.
[Page 159]He contended, clearly without much hope convincing us, that Republic should maintain its position intact until transfer sovereignty, eliminating interim arrangements, failing which he considered interim period must be confined 1 or 2 months if Republic not to be placed in impossible political situation. We again reviewed impelling reasons Republic participate Provisional Federal Government and stated we believed length interim period would depend less on Dutch than on rate Indonesians able organize essential administration and services, that we believed Indonesians would be staggered by immensity task and that transfer functions to Indonesian part Provisional Federal Government, while gradual, would be steady and rapid, with actual independence day of slight practical significance. Pringgo Digdo not convinced, insisting necessary Republic maintain present position, particularly with respect maintenance armed forces. He said NethDel requiring elimination TNI interim period partly through demobilization, partly through absorption federal forces.
He conceded it out of question Republic continue support present forces but stressed overhasty demobilization would be most difficult with respect reabsorption demobilized soldiers civil life and great danger that demobilized soldiers and TNI itself, if its survival threatened, would come under influence Left-Wing group. (Note: Socialist, Labor, Communist and Youth Parties now joined in FDR, translated Peoples Democratic Front in which Sjarifuddin, formerly Minister Defense and influential with TNI, is active leader.) Pringgo Digdo emphasized equal importance question Republic security interim period, conceding he has faith Vredenburch working for fair settlement but that Vredenburch is man who will unswervingly carry out policies his government and Republic has no assurance present Netherlands Government will not be superseded by conservative coalition. (He refrained from stating, what also in his mind, that Linggadjati had been followed by police action directed by Van Mook, who still in office.) He acknowledged TNI would require complete reorganization and re-equipping when merged with federal forces and that Dutch help would be essential, but saw no reason why this could not await transfer sovereignty.
Other function present position which Republic could not surrender, according Pringgo Digdo, was foreign representation. We expressed amazement importance attached this matter, stating we confident Netherlands had nothing drastic in mind and advising Republic let matter ride for present and keep it out of newspapers. Regarding TNI, we discussed possibilities converting demobilized units to work corps but on main problem we noted we had not seen NethDel working paper or discussed problem with Netherlands. When we had done so, we hoped have discussion with IndoDel covering whole field interim [Page 160] period with special reference our working paper on delineation states, copy of which we gave Pringgo Digdo.
Pringgo Digdo said whole field of union now covered in subcommittee with only one deadlock, namely, right of individuals and corporations to appeal to union court.
Department pass Hague.1
- This was done May 2.↩