241. Telegram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State0
Paris, February 27,
1962, 4 p.m.
4044. From Robert F. Kennedy. Luns, now in Paris and at his request, called on me at my hotel for 30 minutes this evening “to discuss an urgent matter.”
- 1.
- He said our conversations at The Hague might be subject to misunderstanding and he wished to clarify Dutch position re WNG. Luns stated Dutch were willing and anxious to have conversations with Indonesians in secret, and would prefer these conversations to take place in presence third party. But if necessary, he stressed, conversations could take place bilaterally.
- 2.
- Luns said Dutch were anxious to settle WNG problem, despite any contrary impression I might have received during my stay in The Hague, and that he appreciated US efforts this regard.
- 3.
- I said I appreciated this change in attitude and the effect I thought a reasonable approach on part of Dutch could have in Indonesia. If this matter is successfully concluded, I said, this might be end of a Communist flanking movement in Southeast Asia.
- 4.
- In contrast to his attitude in The Hague, Luns was in an extremely receptive mood. He said he had talked with the Queen and Prime Minister, and it is my impression that in last 24 hours Netherlands Government has had a change of heart.
Lyon
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 656.9813/2–2762. Secret; Priority. Repeated priority to Djakarta and to The Hague.↩