Cablegram 209 CANBERRA, 2 August 1947, 11 p.m.
MOST IMMEDIATE SECRET
We have just received the full report of the Australian delegate on the Security Council. [1] We greatly regret that the United Kingdom delegate did not find it possible to support a resolution calling for the cessation of hostilities and for the subsequent settlement of the dispute by arbitration.
2. We wish now to urge the United Kingdom Government to use its every endeavour to see that the resolution is given effect to. In point of fact, the resolution is entirely consistent with the mediation which the United Kingdom Government was endeavouring to bring about prior to our action on the Security Council. It would therefore be consistent for the United Kingdom Government to urge the Netherlands Government to co-operate in carrying out the resolution of the Security Council.
3. Moreover, it is of vital importance to the Security Council that this decision, so quickly arrived at, should with equal rapidity, [be] implemented. Doubt was cast on the effectiveness of the Security Council by a public statement that reference to it would cause delays whereas mediation might bring an immediat[e] solution. [2] The Security Council has proved itself. We hope the United Kingdom Government will strongly support the Security Council at this critical stage.
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1 Document 226.
2 Apparently a reference to Bevin’s statement of 23 July (see Document 141, note 3).
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[AA:A1838/274, 854/10/4, ii]