840.00/3–749: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State
us urgent
niact
821. After meeting with Bevin this morning as reported in mytel 818,1 repeated Paris 145, The Hague 25, Brussels 36, Bevin received [Page 166] additional information concerning attitude of Netherlands which causes him great concern. He had a report from British Chargé in Paris of meeting Saturday night British Embassy there among Cripps, Schuman, Spaak and Stikker, in which latter expressed grave doubts that in the light of communication made to him by Harriman Dutch could participate in MAP meeting planned for London March 14. According to Bevin’s information Stikker construed Harriman’s warning contained in Deptel 736 to London, 109 Hague, 705 Paris, as pressure from US for Dutch to comply with SC resolution Indonesia. Bevin so concerned that he has held up sending invitations to WU countries for meeting fourteenth. He feels that meeting without Dutch would be disastrous for WU. He is seeing Dutch Ambassador this afternoon and intends pointing out that in his opinion US warning constitutes factual statement of situation and not intended as pressure to force compliance with SC resolution. Any reassurance that US may be able to give Dutch that our representation not intended as pressure but that we were duty bound to make it clear that our obligation in UN might make it impossible to furnish military equipment assistance in advance of Indonesian settlement would help situation.
Bevin then took up Indonesian situation stating that recent information he had received indicates that Republicans willing to attend a conference but refused to “go from captivity to The Hague.” He felt that the Republican leaders were really anxious to go and only needed face-saving device. Bevin added that he thought rigid US attitude re SC resolution made it more difficult for Republicans to agree. He felt that there was very good chance of a satisfactory settlement coming out of Hague conference which he considered to be of vast importance to western position southeast Asia. Bevin expressed hope that we would find it possible to be less insistent on carrying out letter of SC resolution as he felt such would enhance likelihood satisfactory settlement.
Sent Department 821, repeated Paris 148 (eyes only Harriman), Hague 26 (eyes only Baruch), Brussels 37 (eyes only Kirk).
- Not printed.↩