501.BC Indonesia/4–249: Telegram
The Consul General at Batavia (Livengood) to the Secretary of State 1
322. Gocus 649. Leimena and Djuanda called this evening after returning 6 p. m. with others of Jogja and Batavia Republican groups from visiting republican leaders Bangka.
Leimena gave me copy reply April 1 Republican Delegation Chairman Roem to UNCFI chairman text whereof follows:
“I have honor refer to your message March 26 and subsequent conversation between your Commission and our party in Pangkalpinang on March 28 and beg inform you that it has been decided to accept your invitation to discussions in Djakarta under auspices of UNCFI. Since it has not been possible to begin these discussions on Wednesday March 30 as you originally suggested, I presume you will let me know at your earliest convenience the proposed date for opening of talks.
My acceptance of Commission’s invitation to discussions with Netherlands, before latter has agreed to establishment of Republican Government at Djocja, is likely to create grave misunderstandings among Republican leaders in other parts of country and abroad and among Indonesian people generally. Such misunderstandings could not fail to make eventual settlement of Indonesian dispute more difficult, I would, therefore, stress, that my participation must necessarily be limited at least in early stages of discussions.
On 19 December 1948 authority was properly transferred to an emergency government in Sumatra to act on behalf of Republican Government until such time as that government is free to reassemble. As your Commission made clear in paragraph two of its report to SC of 1 March and as was emphasized by a number of speakers in recent SC’s debates, restoration or Republican Government at Djocja free to take decisions uncoerced is a prerequisite to ‘any fruitful negotiations.
I shall, therefore, only be able to discuss initially practical details of restoration of Republican Government at Djocja. It is my hope that Netherlands will agree in principle to this restoration at outset so that Republican Government can take at Djocja upon basis of ascertained wishes of its people essential decisions regarding SC’s Resolution 28 January and directive 23 March.”
Supomo and Sudjono joined Leimena, Djuanda and me analyzing this reply. They all assure me Republican Delegation will in UNCFI [Page 359] meetings go beyond discussion restoration Jogja but insist that be given priority.
Roem will head delegation at start. Republican leaders say no one else can be appointed to this position except by President Sukarno functioning in Jogja.
Djuanda felt visit Bangka helped relieve nervousness of leaders there and his group remaining Batavia until Tuesday morning to have more contact with Republicans here. UNCFI plane will then take them Jogja.
Djuanda considers restoration Jogja entirely feasible with maximum 2,000 police mostly civil but insists all Netherlands military must be removed. Republican Ministers making serious studies of problems incidental to restoration from administrative, security and economic viewpoints. Jogja depleted of Republican currency. Need for trucks to supply foodstuffs will be considerable since railway service into Jogja from surplus areas largely interrupted. Signed Cochran.
- Repeated in telegrams 287, April 4, 6 p. m., and 297, April 7, 1 p. m., to The Hague, the latter to be forwarded to Brussels for Kirk.↩