856e.00/12–1048: Telegram
The Chargé in the Netherlands (Steere) to the Secretary of State 1
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839. Stikker opened hour’s conversation tonight by expressing great satisfaction at Department’s withdrawal original text aide-mémoire and saying, for himself, all was forgotten.
I told him I wanted, in view of crucial point reached Indonesia, to report fully and authoritatively on latest developments Hague and attitude and intentions Netherlands Government. He voiced belief in complete frankness, reviewed recent discussions Indonesia at length, and said Cabinet had decided to proceed immediately with measures to set up interim federal government based non-Republic territory, with provision for participation Republic at any time.
Decision reached largely as result of Hatta’s withdrawal from position taken during Stikker’s first visit, and Hatta statements at end of Netherlands delegate visit that Republic must have gentleman’s agreement [Page 543] that Netherlands authorities would not report [resort?] police action in any event after establishment interim government. This demand, said Stikker, represented complete departure from Renville principles and from Republic acceptance of Cochran proposals, and implied concessions by Netherlands Government incompatible with sovereignty. Such concessions Netherlands could not make, and government was unable to delay any longer steps to establish interim federal government to which Netherlands Government was committed and to which it would in due course transfer all governmental powers.
Netherlands reply to Department’s revised aide-mémoire being cabled Netherlands Embassy Washington tonight, and Good Offices Committee (GOC) also being cabled tonight that Netherlands Government forced to conclusion that further negotiations with Republic, either directly or before GOC, have no possibility of reaching agreement acceptable to Netherlands. Stikker said there was only one possibility for resumption negotiations, namely, Republic recession from demands incompatible with Renville agreements, and “within a very few days”. He intimated that Saturday (December 11) was approximately deadline if Netherlands measures were to be held up.
Stikker voiced his great personal regret at failure to achieve agreement he had thought possible, saying that he and Dutch delegates had done their utmost but had to conclude that no acceptable agreement was attainable. Both Cochran and Critchley had expressed view to him during discussions that nothing could be gained by resort to GOC, and this, Stikker said, was more than ever the case after Hatta’s final demand.
Stikker mentioned, without particular emphasis, the mounting number of incidents (record figure 307 for latest week) as evidence of accelerating deterioration, and referred to confidential GOC report dated November 29 (which he had seen) directly placing responsibility for organized incidents in one district upon Republic officials. He also stated that Dutch authorities have conclusive evidence (intercepts) involving authorities in GOC in highly improper relations with Republic, including preparation documents in conflict with Netherlands.
Stikker, whose attitude throughout was one of calm straightforwardness, concluded by saying that the Dutch are a stubborn people who once they start a course of action, will persist to the end, even if it involved their isolation.
- Repeated in telegrams 633, December 10, 6 p. m., Usgoc 229, to Batavia, and Gadel 735, to Paris (for Jessup only).↩