501.BC Indonesia/12–449: Telegram
The Consul General at Batavia (Beam) to the Secretary of State
965. Gocus 831. Gocus 828.1 First formal meeting held last evening between combined Republican–BFO National Preparatory Committee and Netherlands delegation. NPC has established working committee of eight, under chairmanship Roem. Dutch have set up similar eight man “contact” committee under Jacob. At end Indonesian initiative UNCI deputies were invited attend. Roem told me Indonesians desired UNCI take part in pre-transfer negotiations on generally same basis that UNCI participated RTC, i.e., attending all formal central committee meetings and subcommittee meetings whenever this seemed desirable to either side. Roem at meeting again praised UNCI role at RTC and emphasized desire for cooperation with deputies as specified in Article 6 of covering resolution of RTC.
At meeting, three joint subcommittees were established to carry on specific discussions on following: (1) Procedural questions, (2) Military and security affairs, (3) Transfer of administrative services. On Indonesian side, these will be headed respectively by Supomo, Leimena and Djuanda. Dutch expect to nominate their appointees tomorrow.
During past few days, several informal meetings of above groups have taken place, but difficult to see that any very concrete results [Page 580] have been arrived at. Both sides, however, insist they recognize extreme urgency of early intensive work if smooth transfer is to be assured.
Roem told Australian deputy today that Jogja considering as first Foreign Minister Palar or Hadji Agus Salim or Sjahrir. Said Sjahrir had strong support partly owing his known international negotiating ability and partly because this would keep him from acting as opposition center. Despite fact he was in certain disfavor due to his failure to cooperate during RTC, it felt he could clear himself with government by issuing statement agreeing to or praising RTC results. Signed Dow.