501.BC Indonesia/3–1249
The Department of State to the Netherlands Embassy 1
Memorandum
The Secretary of State is encouraged by the informal proposals contained in the letter of Foreign Minister Stikker to Foreign Minister Bevin on the point of restoration of the Republican Government to Jogjakarta, and sees in these proposals a reasonable basis for discussion in an effort to overcome the obstacles now standing in the way of the proposed conference at The Hague and for a fulfillment of the basic purposes and objectives of the Resolution of the Security Council of January 28, 1949.
The Secretary of State earnestly hopes that preliminary negotiations between the parties with the assistance of UNCFI can promptly go forward with the objective of reaching a solution of the Jogjakarta question and promoting at an early date the initiation of the proposed round-table conference at The Hague.
It is the opinion of the Secretary of State that the remarks made by Senator Austin in the Security Council on March 10 point the way for the holding of such a preliminary conference, and that making arrangements therefor should be an immediate task of the UNCFI. It is also the hope of this Government that the discussions in the Security Council now going on will enable the Council, through a communication from the President, to advise the UNCFI in this sense.
With regard to the specific conditions (nos. 1 through 9) contained in Mr. Stikker’s letter, this Government considers that it is difficult, if not impossible, at this time and at this distance from the scene, to comment specifically upon their merits. Bearing in mind the main objective of the preliminary conference—namely, the clearing away of obstacles to the conference at The Hague—this Government believes that the most useful role it could play at this juncture would be to instruct its representative on UNCFI during the preliminary negotiations to make every effort to insure that full consideration be given these points by the Republic with a view to bringing the parties to agreement. This Government also considers that, after UNCFI has had an opportunity to learn the Republic’s views on these points, it would be appropriate and desirable for UNCFI to make specific recommendations thereon to both parties.
The purpose of restoring the Republican Government to Jogjakarta is to enable it to reassert its authority over Republican elements, to [Page 319] enable it to take decisions as a government and, in cooperation with the Netherlands, to bring about a peaceful situation in Indonesia. This Government is confident that the representatives of the Netherlands and of the Republic can agree upon conditions which are fair and feasible and will make the holding of The Hague round-table conference possible.
In view of the forthright approach to the problem taken by Mr. Stikker, which is most gratifying to this Government, the Secretary of State has confidence that the possible issues in such preliminary negotiations between the parties will be handled by the Netherlands authorities with requisite flexibility; and in this assurance, this Government is confident that the issues can be resolved and the main objective of a successful conference at The Hague be achieved.
- Handed to the Netherlands Minister (Reuchlin) by the Deputy Director of the Office of European Affairs (Thompson) on March 12.↩