501.BC Indonesia/4–3048: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consulate General at Batavia
178. Usgoc 93. NY Times Apr 29 reports from Lake Success: “Indonesian Republic is seeking hearings before SC to charge Neth Govt with sabotaging Renville Peace Agreement, which ended Dutch-Indonesian war Jan 17”. In press conference Palar and Tjoa1 stated they had presented informal appeals to Council members to investigate immediately Dutch violations of Renville Agreement, including alleged naval blockade, delaying negotiations for final agreement, establishing puppet govts, suppression free speech and assembly.
Presumably as result charges made by Rep reps Lake Success, Tsiang (China) in SC meeting Apr 29, requested President Lopez SC to send cable GOC urging submission report on progress events and present conditions. Lopez agreed to do so.
Suggest your discretion, after concurrence GOC, you approach Hatta, Soekarno, and Roem, pointing out invalidity bases Palar’s charges and asking whether allegations Lake Success were made on instruction Rep Govt. If answer is negative, request official and public disavowal these statements.
NY Times reports Tjoa “explained that he was taking this indirect method because his government had communicated many protests to the GOC during the past 2 months without either results or acknowledgment and that he felt it necessary now to make an ‘unofficial’ approach.”
In course conversation suggested foregoing point out firmly to Hatta, Soekarno that such methods bringing pressure on GOC entirely inconsonant with previous agreements between GOC, Neth and Rep Dels, and an altogether unwarranted reflection on good faith of GOC.
Dept considers it unlikely that Rep reps Lake Success will fail raise these issues at next SC discussion Indonesia. Therefore, it would be highly desirable that discussions SC these allegations focus on progress report rather than report Madoera West Java. Accordingly, suggest GOC prepare immediately report of progress in accordance President [Page 162] SC’s request, advising SC such report to be submitted promptly. In this event, USDel Lake Success will be in position to press for postponement hearing Indo case including West Java and Madoera problems until progress report received. Advise Dept mailing date report.
Dept cannot escape conclusion that, if this démarche was made on official instructions, Rep, doubtless advised by Australia, Fox, Isbrandtsen and others, is attempting to avoid logical consequences of program outlined Gocus 229, Apr 16, Usgoc 90 Apr 22. If you agree that such is Reps intention you may wish to point out to Hatta and Soekarno that such tactics must inevitably result in abrogation Renville Agreements and that since these tactics have been engaged in by Rep, its position with US Govt, SC, and world opinion will be unenviable in the extreme. Dept suggests you remind Hatta and Soekarno that GOC has been only effective defender their just ambitions, that continued misrepresentations of work of GOC by Rep reps at Lake Success cannot fail boomerang on Rep.
Sent Batavia as 178. Repeated The Hague as 163.
- Members of Indonesian delegation at New York observing the UN sessions.↩