Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, The Far East, Volume VI

856E.01/5–2947

Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Alexander Sehnee of the Division of Southeast Asian Affairs

confidential

[Washington,] May 29, 1947.

Participants:	Mr. Helb of the Dutch Embassy;
	Mr. Kenneth P. Landon, SEA; and
	Mr. Alexander Schnee, SEA.

Mr. Helb called to discuss two subjects, (1) the aide-mémoire which Ambassador Baruch delivered to the Netherlands Foreign Office and (2) the note of May 27 which the Netherlands Government addressed to the Republic of Indonesia.

Mr. Helb mentioned the fact that Ambassador Baruch had delivered an aide-mémoire to the Dutch and said he was calling to learn the sense of the document. (The aide-mémoire followed the line of the Department’s telegram No. 231, May 16 to The Hague referring to considerations which would govern a loan to the Netherlands East Indies and stated our willingness to assist in the establishment of an interim arrangement which would foster trade with that area.) Mr. Schnee read to Mr. Helb contents of Department’s telegram 231 which contained the sense of the note delivered by the Ambassador.

Mr. Helb then referred to the Dutch note of May 27 and informed us of the contents thereof. He had not received a complete text himself. After referring to the history of the Lingga Djati Agreement and the failure of the Dutch to secure the cooperation of the Indonesians, he stated that the Dutch Government was of the opinion that the only hope for a prompt and peaceful solution of the Indonesian problem lay in United Kingdom and United States pressure on the Indonesians to accept the recent Dutch proposals.

Mr. Helb was unable to clarify the reference in the preamble to the note to the cancellation of the truce of October 1946.⁹⁶ He had no information to the effect that such a reference was included in the preamble.

96. Telegram 371, June 6, from The Hague, gave the text of this reference as follows: “The Commission General further considers the reasons for a truce, as was concluded on 14 October, 1946, de facto lapsed through the signing of the agreement which has the cooperation between the Netherlands and Indonesia and in particular between the Netherlands Government and the Government of the Republic as a starting point, because the conclusion of such an agreement cannot be brought into line with the situation whereby hostilities are merely suspended.” This correction was taken from the Foreign Office text given to the Embassy on June 6. (856E.01/6–647)