Office of the Historian

268. Memorandum of Conversation0

Washington, July 5, 1960.

SUBJECT

  • U.S.-British “Understanding” Regarding West New Guinea

PARTICIPANTS

  • Mr. Ledward, Counselor, British Embassy
  • Mr. Steeves, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Far Eastern Affairs
  • Mr. Bell, Director, Office of Southwest Pacific Affairs

Mr. Steeves briefly reviewed the Dutch approaches to us in October-December 1958 with respect to the support which the Dutch might expect from us in the event of armed conflict between the Indonesian and the Dutch over West New Guinea. Mr. Steeves said that our position has not changed since Secretary Dulles told the Dutch that we would help to the limit of our legal authority in the event of Indonesian aggression, but that he could make no prior commitment without Presidential approval and he doubted that the President would give his approval without Congressional sanction.1

Mr. Steeves stated that in our view there was no “understanding” with respect to any British-U.S. action in the event of aggressive action [Page 519] by the Indonesians against West New Guinea, but that we were of course prepared to discuss the subject further if the British so desired. Mr. Steeves explained that because so many factors now unknown might be attendant at the time of a hypothetical Indonesian attack, it would seem difficult to hold meaningful bilateral consultation on specific steps.2

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 656.9813/7–560. Secret. Drafted by Bell on July 8.↩
  2. See Documents 159 and 168.↩
  3. On July 15 Ledward again called on Steeves to discuss the alleged U.S.-U.K. understanding regarding West New Guinea. He noted that during a June 15 meeting in London between Foreign Secretary Lloyd and Foreign Minister Luns, Luns requested assurances of assistance in the event of a Netherlands-Indonesian armed conflict over West New Guinea. Steeves replied that the U.S. position was the same as that outlined to Ledward in their earlier conversation of July 5: “That we were willing to continue discussions with the UK and Australia but that we could not go any further with the Dutch than Secretary of State Dulles had in 1958.” (Memorandum of conversation by Bell, July 15; Department of State, Central Files, 656.98/7–1560)↩