501.BC Indonesia/12–1248: Telegram
The Consul General at Batavia (Livengood) to the Secretary of State 1
urgent
niact
1084. Gocus 481. Gocus 4802 provides copy GOC special report on direct conversations telegraphed December 12 to SC Paris.
From Netherlands’ report (Gocus 4793) Department will have seen that Netherlands Government has disregraded Department’s aide-mémoire, left no alternative to immediate debate Indonesian question in SC, and closed door to GOC reviving conversations or negotiations on political settlement.
If Department alone or SC cannot oblige Netherlands Government resume bona fide negotiations and refrain from setting up interim government without Republic, GOC cannot be expected contribute effectively to safeguarding truce already overstrained through delay in negotiation of political settlement.
Netherlands revealed in attitude toward Critchley-Dubois plan reluctance consider reasonable basis for negotiation. In The Hague enroute Indonesia I received no encouragement whatever for GOC success. I succeeded in getting USDel plan into GOC as working paper only after three months delaying tactics by Netherlands. Their efforts to find excuses for upsetting talks once commenced have been crudely obvious. Their direct conversations were hasty and decidedly unfair to Republic. In spite Netherlands’ determination long apparent to impose unilateral decision on Republic, I proceeded utilize and exhaust every device I knew toward getting and keeping parties together for peaceful settlement before [apparent omission] taking advantage Department’s offer to venture representations at The Hague. Believe time and conditions selected could not have been more propitious. Still [Page 550] Netherlands note of December 11 to GOC as well as Stikker’s remarks to Ambassador The Hague (Usgoc 2294) reveal Netherlands’ obstinacy which GOC alone cannot break.
I possibly understand problems of Department which make impracticable it follow my idea that only effective way to stop Netherlands is to cut off American funds. Likewise cognizant of reasons for amending original aide-mémoire and voting with Netherlands at Lapstone.5 In view these circumstances and in face Netherlands’ note of December 11 to GOC, I recommend that Department follow promptly line suggested in paragraphs 13, 14 and 15 its revised aide-mémoire. While reconciled personally to continuing endeavor carry out best of my ability whatever policy Department decides, frankly feel position of GOC will be weak to point of uselessness if US and SC intervention not effective. Signed Cochran.
- Repeated in telegrams 621, December 13, 6 p. m., to The Hague, and Gadel 741, December 13, 7 p. m., to Paris (for Jessup).↩
- Telegram 1083, December 12; see footnote 2, supra.↩
- Telegram 1082, December 11, p. 548.↩
- Telegram 633, December 10; see footnote 1, p. 642.↩
- The United States alone upheld the Netherlands position that Indonesia should not be admitted as an associate member to ECAFE.↩