Office of the Historian

501.BC Indonesia/6–2248

The Netherlands Ambassador (Van Kleffens) to the Under Secretary of State (Lovett)

Washington, June 22, 1948.

My Dear Under Secretary: It gives me great pleasure to be able to let you know that Jonkheer van Vredenburch has been instructed yesterday to inform the Committee of Good Offices that the Netherlands Government has authorised the Netherlands delegation to continue discussions with the delegation of the Indonesian republic.

Jonkheer van Vredenburch is to point out that the suspension of these discussions has not resulted in stagnation of contact between the parties, vide the van Mook-Hatta conversations of which the Committee will be informed as soon as it is no longer necessary to observe the discretion these gentlemen have promised each other to maintain for the time being, and which it is hoped the Committee will meanwhile respect.

In the same communication, Jonkheer van Vredenburch is to point out that, in the opinion of the Netherlands Government, the good offices of the Committee can only be expected to bear fruit if members of the Committee are agreed on the policy it recommends, and if the Renville principles are adhered to.

I may add, with reference to the document emanating from Messrs. Dubois and Critchley which found its way to the press that an inquiry has shown that, as in the case of the United States representatives, there has been no leak on the part of the Netherlands authorities or delegation, and further that, to my present knowledge, no reply has been received from the Committee to our query what measures the Committee proposes to take in view of the indiscretion which has taken place. Personally, it seems to me that it is reasonable that the Committee should do something, this being the second time that an important confidential document is divulged, the first being, as you will recall, Dr. Graham’s Christmas message.

In my case, the road is now clear for progress. I know you share my satisfaction.1

Very sincerely yours,

E. N. Van Kleffens
  1. Under Secretary Lovett acknowledged the Ambassador’s note the same day and thanked him for helping to bring about resumption of negotiations.↩