840.20/3–549: Telegram
The United States Special Representative in Europe (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
Repsec 17. London eyes only for Douglas, Brussels eyes only for Kirk,1 Hague eyes only for Baruch. I saw Dutch FonMin Stikker this afternoon, presented to him and discussed MAP memorandum. Bonsai was also present.
I brought up the effect of the Indonesian situation on the furnishing of military equipment, and explained the Department’s instructions in accordance with Deptel 736 to London (repeated The Hague 190, Paris 705).
I expressed the personal hope that progress towards a solution would be such that it would not become involved in MAP, and that the Dutch Government would be able to make the necessary moves. Stikker rejoined that his information today was not optimistic. He said specifically that any Dutch Government which agreed to the restoration of the Republic at Djockja would fall. He said that he unfortunately did not anticipate any early solution of this difficult problem and that he feared the result would be a serious weakness in Western Union defense. He recalled the Netherlands pledge to Marshal Montgomery that Dutch soldiers who will be drafted in April will be devoted to Western Europe and defense, and said that arms and supplies would be urgently needed if these troops were to play any useful part.
Cripps, Schuman, Spaak and Stikker are meeting later this afternoon for discussions of MAP procedure.
Sent Department, repeated London unnumbered, Brussels unnumbered, Hague unnumbered.
- Adm. Alan G. Kirk, Ambassador to Belgium and Minister to Luxembourg.↩