501.BC Indonesia/5–1248: Telegram
The Consul General at Batavia (Livengood) to the Secretary of State
394. Gocus 267. As a result reference to GOC of political subcommittee’s report of deadlocked discussions plebiscites (Gocus 2641), GOC met May 11 consider USDel and AusDel suggestions for alternative method delineation states (Gocus 249 and 2522). In course [Page 170] discussion, AusDel came unexpectedly long way toward USDel position and finally proposed following procedure:
- 1.
- Political agreement to provide for Netherlands-Republican Technical Committee to delineate States Java, Madura, Sumatra, stipulating constitutional convention not to be convened until agreement reached on delineation.
- 2.
- Subject agreement parties this procedure, Technical Committee to begin deliberations soonest without awaiting political agreement.
- 3.
- Delegates to constitutional convention to be elected by regencies or equivalent districts.
- 4.
- Constitutional convention to have final authority delineation states. However, not [no] boundary delineated by Technical Committee to be changed unless majority delegates from area of state or states involved vote in favor change and unless majority delegates constitutional convention as whole also votes for change. (Such provision would be incorporated in rules procedure for constitutional convention to form part political agreement.)
Following meeting, we discussed above procedure with Riphagen, who appeared not opposed. He found it difficult understand why Critchley agreed such procedure while opposing our original suggestion. We reported Critchley said Republicans would have overriding psychological objection provision our plan under which split up of Republicans would have been presaged in political agreement but that we unable resist feeling Critchley motivated in part by desire have final plan come from AusDel. We noted present plan in one respect more advantageous Netherlands point view than ours, since under USDel plan disagreement in Technical Committee would have postponed political agreement, whereas under present plan such disagreement would postpone constitutional convention, extending interim period. Our suggestion that majority delegates from any state or states must concur in any change boundaries such states had moreover been accepted by Critchley without demur. We considered plan as tentatively agreed within GOC could be accepted by parties. Would probably be soon suggested by GOC on strictly informal basis.
Riphagen again raised question whether freedom elections Republican areas could be assured. We again stated this risk must be taken in connection any plan formation USI and thought Republicans with respect elections its territory to constitutional convention or to provisional federal government, as tentatively suggested by US, would be much less concerned by prospect anti-Republican showing at polls than by possibility political discord arising from conflict between Masjoemi and Nationalist Party on one side and leftwing Front Democrasi Rakjat on other.
Sent Department as 394; Department pass The Hague.3