501.BC Indonesia/12–2948: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Netherland (Baruch) to the Secretary of State
us urgent
920. FonOff has just advised Embassy that Van Royen will announce in SC this afternoon:1
- (a)
- That military action on Java will be terminated as of 2400 hours, December 31; in Sumatra, a few days later.
- (b)
- That political prisoners will all be released, upon termination of hostilities, on condition they do not disturb public security.
- (c)
- That all facilities for observation, investigation and reporting will be accorded personnel of GOC and of Consular Commission.
- (d)
- Prime Minister Drees will himself proceed to Indonesia in very near future for purpose of assuring that Dutch program for establishment of interim government and USI is pursued with greatest diligence and good faith.
Lovink, who supplied above information, indicated that these instructions had been agreed by Cabinet only as result of extreme efforts of Prime Minister and above all Foreign Office through Stikker. Lovink intimated that information Department’s 673 of December 27,2 which had been handed to him yesterday, had been useful at critical moment in securing a Dutch reply that was more conciliatory than he himself had expected. Lovink went on to say that it was very much to be hoped that Dutch would with this reply secure a respite that would enable them to give proof of sincerity of Dutch intentions establish truly Indonesian Government.
Observation was made to Lovink that forthright and conciliatory reply by Netherlands to the mild and fully justifiable demand of SC was somewhat overdue, as the attitude of his government had been making it exceedingly difficult for essentially friendly nations.