Office of the Historian

501.BC Indonesia/12–1448: Telegram

The Acting United States Representative at the United Nations (Jessup) to the Secretary of State 1

secret
urgent
Paris, December 14, 1948—11 p. m.
[Received December 14—7:51 p. m.]

Delga 1192. Netherlands representative on SC today stated Hatta has sent important telegram to Stikker, which contained important concessions and, he argued, was basis for delaying SC action.

Republican delegation called asking whether US continues request to delay SC meeting. Pursuant McClintock’s2 conversation J. Hyde,3 [Page 562] we stated we did not make any request as to further delay of meeting. Republican delegation has today submitted letter to president of SC based on cabled report of GOC dated December 12.4 (Report was circulated to SC members today without appendices which are reports of parties on status of negotiations.) Letter recites conclusions of GOC that negotiations broken down, that truce can not be maintained and economic deterioration with resulting possibility widespread hostilities.

Letter characterizes situation threat to peace, requests immediate meeting before SC recess. Relief requested is SC insurance that situation will not be worsened and resumption negotiations under GOC auspices or otherwise.

Republican delegation, in oral explanation, is looking toward resolution requesting both parties refrain military action next three weeks and inviting GOC to present case to SC second week in January full dress debate.

Meeting now would be simply to draw attention to situation without getting into merits. Republican delegation still thinking in terms of continuance of GOC with added powers and it talks of eventual compulsory arbitration. Republican delegation is putting pressure on SC president through China to call meeting December 16.

Australian representative also called repeating above substance. Felt a formal meeting with statements, even if no solution, would have important deterrent effect on Dutch, and that debate on merits could be delayed until January.

To all these delegations we stated that our instructions not yet received, we were not urging anyone to delay meeting.

Jessup
  1. Repeated in telegram 656, December 15, 5 p. m., Usgoc 241, to Batavia.↩
  2. Robert M. McClintock, Special Assistant to the Director of the Office of United Nations Affairs (Rusk).↩
  3. James N. Hyde, member of the U.S. mission to the United Nations.↩
  4. For text of Mr. Palar’s letter, December 14, see SC, 3rd yr., Suppl. (Dec), p. 210.↩