501.BC Indonesia/5–1848: Telegram
The Consul General at Batavia (Livengood) to the Secretary of State
405. Gocus Number 272. Dubois and Herremans called palace May 16 at request Vredenburch who read the text telegram he sending Hague, Washington and New York. [For summary of message, see first two paragraphs of memorandum printed supra.]
Vredenburch said he had information Roem’s influence with Sukarno and Hatta weakened and that Djuanda, head Republic delegation economic finance committee, could henceforth be considered Hatta’s representative. Furthermore that Sukarno and Hatta had told delegates last week’s meeting Jogja they would resign if negotiations broke down and no agreement reached.
Following day Vredenburch suggested we advise Department that US take initiative SC with statement US representative GOC considers negotiations proceeding satisfactorily here and would only be impaired by airing of issues SC. We agreed pass on suggestion, noting expression such views by US in SC should occasion no surprise on part either Republic or Australian delegation to whom we have several times stated plainly We considered negotiations should be conducted here, that debates SC would be fruitless and lead destructive discord and that we should strongly oppose reference any issues to SC unless and until GOC reached final failure. Vredenburch stated he has telegraphed Netherlands representative to take initiative and urge Indonesian question be treated with extreme delicacy in view current critical phase and that resolutions and calls for additional reports might be taken as criticism of one party and jeopardize progress. He suggested US representative cooperate with Netherlands representative. We agreed we hoped SC would request no more special reports, which enormously time-consuming.
Critehley privately admits frankly he believes only moral pressure by SC on Netherlands can produce negotiated settlement here. In connection request by parties for informal suggestion regarding delineation states (Gocus 2671), Critchley took view GOC could not technically agree within itself on any suggestion unless suggestion [Page 177] documented and subject citation SC by any member GOC. We refused make suggestion this form, which tantamount formal suggestion, and held to view GOC could quite readily make any suggestion to parties without record. Critchley stated this wholly unsatisfactory his point view since in event final breakdown he did not wish GOC appear to have done nothing. In order get situation straight once for all, we called for special meeting with parties May 17. Vredenburch, who immediately requested that meeting be made formal, made very plain that while Netherlands delegation would welcome informal suggestions it would not receive formal suggestions which it had not requisitioned and which were designed put pressure on one party. He stated informal suggestions if found acceptable by parties could then be made matter record. In immediately following GOC meeting, we stated that for GOC do what one party had specifically requested it not to do would be completely at variance spirit Good Offices and left it Critchley decide whether he wished limit usefulness GOC by refusing participate informal off-record suggestions. He finally agreed offer GOC proposal for delineation states this basis, reserving right to include in future reports SC that GOC had made informal suggestions without identifying them, to which we agreed.
After meeting, Critchley observed he considered current interim progress report of little importance (with which we agree) and that it would be necessary submit further report in 2 weeks when crisis would be reached. He obviously in worried state mind believing final deadlock near, with disposition TNI most critical issue, and with SC alone having power prevent steamrollering of Republic by Netherlands.
USDel will reply soonest Usgoc 100.2 Sent Department 405; Department pass Hague.3