Cablegram 286 CANBERRA, 30 July 1947
MOST IMMEDIATE
Please inform Government of India that we propose instructing today our representative on the Security Council to draw the attention of the Security Council to the Indonesian situation.
2. Please inform the Government of India that we do not propose to draw the attention of the Security Council to the situation in the way in which it has been done previously, that is under Article 35 of the Charter which gives the Security Council power only to investigate and recommend. This situation is different as hostilities exist. The prime need is to have them [st]opped. [1] Therefore we are drawing the attention of the Security Council to the situation under Article 39 which gives the Security Council power to order cessation of hostilities and then to recommend to the parties. We will attempt to prevent debate on the merits, and to have an immediate order to this effect, both parties being referred to Article 17 of the Linggadjati Agreement which provides for mediation by a third party.
3. Any support in the Security Council which India can obtain for action along these lines and in particular any move she can make to have the debate on procedure and substance avoided, so that an immediate decision can be made, would be most helpful.
4. Please see Sjahrir immediately and explain to him that the Security Council cannot act in the way we suggest unless the Indonesian authorities declare their willingness to carry out obligations duties and responsibilities imposed by the United Nations Charter and in particular by Article 25 of the Charter by which members undertake to accept and carry out decisions of the Security Council. It is most important that a public declaration to this effect be made on the instruction of the Indonesian Government. It should be made without reference to Australia itself or immediate comment on the announcement that Australia proposes to have the situation dealt with under Article 39.
5. Your telegram No. 399 [2] just received. Reason why we desired advice of the Indian proposals was because we considered that Article 35 was inadequate and please thank the Government of India for its consideration. We assume our action is wholly in accord with their views.
6. My immediately preceding telegram contains the text of the announcement to be made in Canberra 4 p.m. today. [3]
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1 Amended with reference to copy on file AA:A1838/274, 854/10/4, i. The cited copy reads ‘dropped’.
2 Document 185.
3 See Document 195.
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[AA:A5009/2, A7/3/13, i]