115

Department of External Affairs to Officer

Cablegram 91 CANBERRA, 15 July 1947, 3.10 p.m.

SECRET

Your 109. [1] The incomprehensible Dutch made formal protest yesterday at our offer to assist rehabilitation Indonesia. [2] If they think now there is measure agreement with Indonesia, which, incidentally, is largely due to United Kingdom, United States of America, Australian help, that they can reinstate pre-war exclusive trading policy they should know this will recreate trouble in Indonesia and also with rest of world. Indonesians urgently require economic assistance and advice and we propose trying to make it available.

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1 Officer had advised on 11 July that he proposed to raise the question of Saroso’s visit to Australia (see Document in and note 1 thereto) with the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs.

2 Document 110.

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[AA:A1838/278, 403/2/2/2, ii]