Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, East Asia and the Pacific, Volume VI

357.AA/8–1850: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Acting United States Representative on the United Nations Commission for Indonesia (Doolittle)

secret

Washington, August 18, 1950—7 p. m.

182. Usgoc 470. For Doolittle.¹ Dept understands UNCI offer of good offices to RI in Ambon affair (Embtel 154, Aug 4, Gocus 877²) has not yet been accepted. Also Embtel 171 Aug 8³ indicates second Ambon Peace Mission stalled with Lemeina still in Djakarta.

Early settlement Ambon dispute particularly desirable since its continuance into period of coming active negot re NNG wld decrease chances success.

Dept therefore desires repeat suggestion included Deptel 168 Aug 6 that UNCI may wish consider using its still fresh success in Makassar as springboard similar attempt Ambon.⁴ Despite difficulty making UNCI good offices acceptable to RI owing RI fear of implicit “recognition”, “South Moluccas Republic” Dept suggest MilEx Board might be acceptable all parties.

Acheson

1. Hooker A. Doolittle, Foreign Service Reserve Officer with the rank of Minister, had replaced Dow as the Acting United States Representative on the UNCI.
2. Not printed; it transmitted the text of a letter from the UNCI to Hatta expressing its readiness and desire to lend any assistance or its good offices to the RUSI Government. (357.AA/8–450)
3. Not printed.
4. Not printed. The UNCI had offered its good Offices to both sides when the Dutch destroyer Kortenaer had appeared off Makassar without the approval of the Indonesian Government.