Cablegram UN723 NEW YORK, 4 August 1947, 10.17 p.m.
IMMEDIATE SECRET
Security 426. INDONESIA.
1. Following is text of Netherlands reply [1] to the President of the Council-
‘The Netherlands Government, although persisting in its denial of the Council’s jurisdiction in this matter, fully understands the Council’s desire to see the use of arms come to an end in this as in other cases. Moreover the Netherlands Government welcomes the Council’s resolution in this sense that it justifies the hope that under the pressure of world opinion the Government of the Republic of Indonesia will now be found disposed to carry out what so far it has failed to do in spite of constant and urgent requests and representations on the part of the Netherlands Government and notwithstanding corresponding friendly advice on the part of other powers.
In taking police action the Netherlands Government has had from the outset strictly limited objectives in view, reference may be made in this connection to the communication made on its behalf to the Secretary-General of the United Nations on July 21 [2] in which the limited nature was pointed out of the action aiming at the cessation of a situation whose continuation could no longer be countenanced in the interests of the people.
Having taken into serious consideration the views which led the Security Council to address an appeal to both parties the Netherlands Government has instructed the Lieutenant Governor- General of the Netherlands Indies to enter into contact with the authorities of the Republic in order to arrive at the cessation on both sides of hostile action of any kind.
The Netherlands Government confidently anticipate that the good offices offered by the Government of the United States of America and gladly accepted by the Netherlands Government will contribute greatly towards attaining the result aimed at in the resolution of the Security Council.’
2. Later telegram advised that the Lieutenant Governor-General of the Netherlands East Indies in pursuance of the abovementioned decision had issued orders to the Netherlands forces in the areas concerned to cease hostilities at midnight 4-5 August, 1947.
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1 Dated 3 August.
2 In fact dated 22 July. See Document 143 and note 1 thereto.
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[AA:A1838/274, 854/10/4, ii]