Cablegram 239 BATAVIA, 20 July 1947, 11.40 p.m.
MOST IMMEDIATE SECRET
Van Mook informed head representatives of the Consular Missions this evening that ‘police measures of a strictly limited character’ would be begun at midnight tonight, Sunday, and handed us a statement which is being given later to the press. [1]
2. Schuurman also handed me a memorandum in the following terms:
Begins-
(1) In view of the measures N.E.I. Government will be compelled to take as a result of failure of the Republican Government to co- operate in implementation of Linggadjati agreement, they desire to state that impending operations will in no way alter their intention to distribute the goods acquired by them in Australia and now awaiting shipment to the N.E.I. in accordance with the terms of the agreement of May 24th between the N.E.I. Director of Economic Affairs, Doctor J. E. van Hoogstraten and the Republican Minister of Public Welfare, Doctor Gani. [2]
(2) The N.E.I. Government therefore desire at this moment to reiterate their assurance that the majority of these goods, i.e.
approximately two-thirds thereof, will be made available to the population in Republican territory. (3) On the other hand, the N.E.I. Government expects the Australian Government to honour their undertaking that the vessels the N.E.I. Government have despatched or will despatch to Australia for shipment of these goods will be loaded without any impediment or delay. Ends.
(3). I asked Schuurman whether in Dutch view the Linggadjati agreement would continue in existence after the commencement of operations, he said that he did not know but thought that Van Mook would make a statement on that point later. [3]
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1 The statement denied any designs on the integrity of the Republic of Indonesia and affirmed the preparedness of the Netherlands Government to come to terms ‘assuming that the Republic is supported by the majority of the population and by the ethnical elements composing it’. The Netherlands Government had no choice, however, the statement concluded, other than to resort to ‘police measures … designed to create conditions in the Republic under which the common man can once again hope to follow in freedom his lawful pursuits for his own benefit and for the good of the world at large, creating at the same time the conditions which must enable the principles embodied in the Linggadjati Agreement to come to full fruition’.
2 See Appendix II.
3 See Document 128.
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[AA:A1838/274, 845/10/4, i]