501.BC Indonesia/1–2649: Telegram
The Acting United States Representative at the United Nations (Jessup) to the Secretary of State 1
98. In long conversation this evening Van Royen, Netherlands, discussing draft resolution2 freely and in cooperative spirit stated expressly [Page 195] that he was sure some parts of draft resolution could definitely not be carried out. He has not yet received final instructions and hopes he will not be instructed to state to SC tomorrow that his government finds draft resolution “unacceptable”. He seemed to anticipate instructions permitting a moderate statement. He definitely believes restoration of Republic Government to Jogja as required by paragraph 2 would be possible of acceptance since it would likely undo results of Dutch action and destroy their whole plan for establishing USI. He stressed feeling in Netherlands that SC is operating with complete distrust of Netherlands and imposing a guardianship over its operations in Indonesia and restricting its sovereignty there. These subjective considerations are in his opinion of major importance. On details he still considered very important the modification of paragraph 4(F) particularly concerning recommendations relative to elections in areas outside Republic but admitted it was unlikely they could get any member of SC to sponsor such an amendment. He does not accept the objection that change in this provision now would suggest Dutch unwillingness to allow fair conditions for elections in non-Republican territories. The general impression created by talk was that Netherlands is likely to make moderate statement and in practice to accept Republic as party to negotiations but not to carry out provisions regarding restoration of the government to Jogja. Possibilities and advantages of cooperative policy were strongly urged on him. Emphasis was laid on possible fruits of a cooperative attitude on Netherlands side which could be reciprocated by UN Commission in sincere effort to make plan envisaged by draft resolution work.
- Repeated in telegram 74, January 31, noon, to The Hague.↩
- For text of resolution, as amended, adopted by the Security Council on January 28 (UN document S/1234), see Department of State Bulletin, February 27, 1949, pp. 250–251. For summary of discussion on January 25, 27, and 28, see ibid., January 30, 1949, p. 136.↩