756D.00/10–2250: Telegram.
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the Netherlands
480. For Ambassador from Scott.1 I took up with Van Royen last night idea developed and generally approved in Dept yesterday which involves the Queen’s issuing appeal to Sukarno regarding Ambonese question.2
We understand from Cochran that Indos may be willing to issue a declaration on subject of Ambon’s autonomy provided it cld be issued in response to a Neth request. Using this as springboard, I told Van Royen we had wondered whether it might be possible to broaden the scope of any Neth request so as to include most or all of major factors now at issue between Indos and Ambonese. This in turn had led us to [Page 1090] wonder whether a dramatic appeal from the Queen as head of Union might prove helpful in present serious circumstances.
Van Royen replied he was quite certain his Govt wld turn down any such suggestion unless there was reason to believe it would be better received by Indos than was Drees’ recent appeal. I asked him specifically what sort of assurances would need as basis for making recommendation to his Govt. He said that if Roem could assure it was his honest and firm opinion an appeal from Queen wld be well received and wld be helpful in stopping bloodshed, he wld ask his Govt to request Queen to make it. He added however he could not recommend appeal if it were simply to be used as another device to forestall SC consideration of Ambon and to be forgotten as soon as it had served this purpose.
Despite all these caveats, we have asked Cochran to try to get necessary assurances from Roem if he believes there is any real possibility they may be forthcoming. If he gets them, we will ask Van Royen to recommend appeal to his Govt in strongest terms. We believe idea has merit and might actually be more helpful in Ambon situation than anything else presently on horizon.
Wish your reaction to idea soonest by cable but prefer you not approach Dutch colleagues on matter until we have some response from Roem. If FonOff approaches you, believe you might offer personal opinion that humanitarian appeal cld appropriately come from Queen at this juncture hot only because of her general responsibilities as spiritual head of Union, but also because unique opportunities for helpfulness presented by special relationship long existing between Dutch and Ambonese shld be exploited as fully as possible. [Scott.]3
- Joseph W. Scott, officer in charge of Swiss and Benelux affairs.↩
- Ambassador Cochran had been informed of this proposal on October 21 and instructed to try to obtain assurances from Roem that such an appeal would be well received. (357.AA/10–2150)↩
- In telegram 594, October 23, from The Hague, not printed, Chapin replied that despite some reservations he agreed that this idea had merit (756D.00/10–2350). However, Cochran reported on the same day that Roem could not give the necessary assurances (telegram 557, October 23, from Djakarta, not printed, 790b.00/10–2350). This message was sent to Chapin immediately and Scott telephoned van Royen, suggesting that “under the Circumstances there seemed to … be no further purpose in pushing the suggestion.” The Ambassador agreed. (memorandum of conversation, October 23, not printed, 756D.00/10–2350)↩