856E.01/5–2947: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State 91
us urgent
2962. 1. Further to our telegram 2943, May 2892 on Indonesia, we had extended discussion at FonOff today with Allen93 who read to us text of several informative messages received from Singapore, Batavia and Hague. Allen states all these messages repeated British Embassy Washington which will be instructed in very near future to make contents known to Dept. Suffice it to say here Dutch have proposed to Republicans early establishment of interim regime in which both sides will participate in governing of NEI pending establishment of US of Indonesia. Allen says text of proposals not yet received, but according to word from Hague they likely to be published today.
2. Allen states Dutch have intimated that if Republicans evince reluctance to accept new proposals, Dutch will ask British and perhaps US to exercise persuasion on Republicans to accept. If Republicans flatly reject new proposals, Dutch considering seeking joint Anglo-American arbitration of issues. In this connection Dutch have told British they do not wish Indo’s issue to come before UN.
3. A telegram from Batavia which Allen read to us is to effect there a definite “détente” Java since departure Beel, Jonkman and Commissioner General and that Republicans now seem more amenable to peaceful settlement.
4. Allen, on basis of information at hand, expresses view new Dutch proposals seem reasonable and offer promising approach to resumption of negotiations. If hitch develops he says FonOff likely to instruct British Consul General at Batavia94 to urge Sjahrir informally to accept Dutch proposals.95
5. On other hand, if new Dutch proposals plainly unacceptable to Republicans, Allen says he thinks FonOff will favorably entertain request for joint US-British arbitration if that acceptable to US. We may say here that Allen, who appears to have an excellent insight into problem, is definitely of personal view that a “blow” in Indonesia is highly improbable at this stage. On the contrary, he feels that a peaceful [Page 932] solution may yet be achieved. He says that new Dutch proposals and report of “détente” at Batavia fortify him in this view. On the basis of information contained in telegrams read to us, particularly those from Singapore citing Beel and Jonkman, we are inclined to feel there some basis for Allen’s optimism—at least from short-term point of view.
6. In course of talk we took occasion to query Allen as to his views on communism in NEI. Although he admits there some communism in NEI, he feels its strength and influence are by no means as great as Dutch would like to have British and Americans believe. He feels neither Sjahrir nor Soekarno tainted with communism.
7. Allen also states he has received no information which would lead him to believe Republican regime on verge of collapse.
Repeated Hague 26.
- Repeated by the Department to Batavia in telegram 145, June 3, 1 p.m.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Head of Southeast Asia Department, British Foreign Office.↩
- John L. M. Mitcheson, British Deputy Consul General at Batavia.↩
- In telegram 2985, May 31, 5 p.m., from London, the Embassy reported that in a preliminary British study the new Dutch proposals were considered as reasonable, and the British Embassy in Washington was being instructed to propose application of joint U.S.–U.K. persuasion on the Indonesian Republicans to accept. (856E.00/5–3147)↩