501.BC Indonesia/9–948: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Belgium
secret
1325. Following concerning Indonesia is for your info and use as suggested below in informal conv with appropriate official Fonoff:
As reported by USRep on GOC, Merle Cochran, and by ConGen Livengood, political situation within Rep Ind has recently deteriorated markedly. Large elements Left Wing Reps have fused with Communists. Present Rep Govt, headed by Hatta, is resisting pressure from left, can successfully hold out provided Hatta can show promptly real success in negotiations before GOC leading to settlement Dutch-Rep dispute. Cochran reports that Dutch may come forward with proposal for political settlement substance of which, in his opinion, would be unacceptable to Rep and would lead to further deterioration Hatta’s position. Cochran has submitted to Dept detailed draft for political settlement, requesting Dept’s comments on substance thereof and further requesting Dept’s concurrence to USDel’s submitting this proposal to both disputants and to BelgDel and AusDel simultaneously on Sept 10. Dept has replied to Cochran, commenting on draft proposal and supporting in general this proposal, agreeing also to procedure based on Cochran’s evaluation necessity to submit proposal soonest.
Dept feels would be helpful for you to discuss informally with FonOff reasons for USDel’s thus taking initiative in GOC, emphasizing (a) Dept’s view that time is of the essence in preventing further deterioration within Rep (b) that plan proposed by USDel appears to offer practical and just implementation Renville agreements (c) our hesitation at proceeding without full concurrence our GOC colleagues, but our reliance upon their understanding and cooperation in achieving full GOC support in mutual effort to attain solution in Ind.
In discussing this matter, your attempt should be to forestall objections by Belg Rep on GOC to procedural irregularity, rather than full-scale attempt to sell content of USDel’s proposal to Belg Govt. Dept believes that proposal itself should be made known in Batavia and will be self-justifying as practical and fair program for implementation Renville agreements. You will be sent copy draft proposal airmail.1
- An identical telegram, 222, September 10, 7 p. m., was sent to Canberra, mutatis mutandis. (856e.01/9–1048) In reply, telegram 225, September 16, 6 p. m., from Canberra (repeated in 451, September 17, 6 p. m., to Batavia), reported the view of the Australian Foreign Office that everything depended upon American firmness with the Netherlands but that Australia would do what it could to save Indonesia from a Communist government. (856e.01/9–1648)↩