501.BC Indonesia/7–2949: Telegram
The Consul General at Batavia (Livengood) to the Secretary of State
639. Gocus 770. Informal cease hostilities discussions held Jogja from 25th between Netherlands delegation, Republic delegation and UNCI representatives ended satisfactorily noon 29th. Netherlands delegation and UNCI representatives returned Batavia this evening.
Republic delegation accepted three principal documents committee 1 (Gocus 7281) as amended (Gocus 7302) plus document IV on manual with following changes:
[Section on amendments not printed. For texts of three documents and of manual with annex, see SC, 4th yr., Spec. Suppl. No. 5, pages 58–71.]
Text of manual anticipated by document IV was agreed upon. Manual and above amendments to documents being submitted Republic Cabinet tonight. Van Royen cabling above amendments to Hague. Hatta came Batavia this afternoon and Roem coming tomorrow. Expect final approval from both governments to foregoing documents tomorrow and formalizing thereof with UNCI Sunday morning. Roem would return thereafter with formalized documents to Sukarno Jogja and prepare for issuance. Roem thinks issuance cease hostilities order, proclamation and regulations should be possible within two or three days after formalizing. Effective date of cease hostilities orders will be determined after consultation today and tomorrow by Republic delegation with military leaders and should be known Sunday.
Principal difficulty in reaching agreement on manual resulted from desire Republic military led by Simatupang achieve set up which they thought most propitious for maintenance law and order. This would have involved certain withdrawals and concentrations Netherlands forces which Netherlands delegation could not support this juncture. After day of little progress, Sultan Jogja, Roem, Simatupang and Leimena called on me midnight 27th seeking formula. I gave them my [Page 465] ideas for paragraph to include in manual. I discouraged Roem’s idea of seeking vote at Hague during first fortnight RTC toward beginning implementation Simatupang plan above mentioned for Netherlands concentrations and withdrawals. I preferred approach through Van Royen to appropriate Netherlands officials. Early 28th Royen and Roem met with me. I gave them my draft formula as follows:
“Local commanders shall impress upon their forces that the more sincere and effective the response to cease hostilities orders, the sooner diminution of patrols and other military burdens can be accomplished. Improvement in situation that permits diminution in patrols should lead to next step of diminution of outposts. Outlying forces should then be found of necessity in what may be the more troubled areas, and elsewhere may be assembled in most convenient centers. As this process develops, way is prepared for reduction in armed forces, return of members thereof to their homes and to productive pursuits, and achievement of desired goal of peace and prosperity.”
Van Royen agreed accept this with elimination third sentence and changing “lead to” to “clear way for” in preceding sentence. He agreed our request to take care of purport eliminated sentence through approaching Lovink and C-in-C Buurman Van Vreeden immediately on return Batavia and subsequently speaking with Netherlands Government Hague if necessary. At Hatta’s request, Van Royen gave oral undertaking to Hatta evening 28th in above sense. Van Royen arranged that Hatta and Sultan Jogja should meet with Lovink soonest and have latter discuss and confirm his understanding of Van Royen’s undertaking to Hatta. Van Royen’s position is that Netherlands cannot politically now make concessions which involve troop withdrawals or definite promises thereon. States that if cease hostilities orders issued in good faith and reasonable response results therefrom, Lovink and C-in-C will be willing move toward meeting Simatupang’s ideas. Van Royen has requested Republic delegation agree on certain areas where they think most effective cease hostilities response can quickly be achieved and concentrate on accomplishing results there soonest. These could then be cited to Lovink and C-in-C and to Hague as examples of satisfactory developments which should encourage progress desired by Republicans.
Plan is to have Sultan well as Hatta meet with Lovink on foregoing since Hatta will head Republic delegation RTC and be absent from Indonesia from August 6. Sultan and Hatta came with us on UNCI plane and likely see Lovink tomorrow. Hatta heading Republic delegation to second half inter-Indonesian conference beginning Batavia 30th. Signed Cochran.