Cablegram 282 BATAVIA, 18 August 1947, 1.42 p.m.
IMPORTANT SECRET
My telegram 281. [1]
The following is the text of the Republican Government’s reply to America’s offer of good offices.
BEGINS:
The Government of the Republic state with deep satisfaction that personal contact and exchange of views recently held between the Government of the Republic and Dr. Walter A. Foote, Consul-General of the United States in Indonesia, have opened up a fuller understanding of the efforts of the United States Government to achieve a speedy settlement Indonesia Dutch dispute.
The Republican Government has, from the commencement of hostilities, made all possible efforts in urging the United Nations to intervene in the recent dispute in order that peace might return once more to Indonesia; the Indonesian Government felt confident that faced with:-
_security in other areas of the world [2]; the Republican Government believes that in appealing to the United Nations it was pledging no more than its deep and enduring confidence in the principle and effectiveness of the United Nations Charter. The broadcast appeal by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Indonesia to His Excellency President of the United States of America [3] is also in keeping with Indonesia’s trust in the huge moral influence which the United States have in United Nations whose home is in the principal city.
2. Having made its appeal to the United Nations who in recent decision of the Security Council have urged both the Republic of Indonesia and the Netherlands to order cessation of hostilities, the Government of the Republic feel it is obliged to abide by commands of the United Nations and by any further steps taken by the Security Council, particularly with regard to the despatch of an International Arbitration Commission to Indonesia.
3. The Government of the Republic of Indonesia has also cordially accepted the good offices extended by the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia in the conviction that such an acceptance could only be in accordance with efforts made by the Australian Government in this matter, that it may contribute to a just settlement. The offer of the Australian Government made it clear to the Republican Government that such an offer could not contradict the offer of a third party, in this case the offer of the United States Government. The Republican Government, therefore, cannot share the opinion that its recent reply to the United States Government [4] means a rejection of aforesaid offer.
The Republic Government once more wishes to repeat its most cordial acceptance of United States offer to extend her good offices to the Republican Government.
4. Pending decision of the Security Council the Republican Government wishes to renew its pledge of confidence that within the powers of the United States Government lies the possibility of finding a final solution of Indonesian Dutch dispute. The Government and people of the Republic of Indonesia hope in future they always may rely on the United States to use its moral influence to achieve a just and lasting solution in order that peace and security may really return to Indonesia.
ENDS.
[AA:A1838/274, 854/10/4, iii]
1 Dispatched on 18 August, it advised that cablegram 282 would contain the text of the Indonesian reply to the explanation of the United States’ offer of ‘good offices’ conveyed by Foote (see Documents 273 and 278).
2 A sign at the beginning of this sentence indicates ‘as received’.
3 Sukarno broadcast an appeal on 25 July calling on Truman and the people of the United States to bring influence to bear on the Netherlands to bring about a cessation of hostilities and a peaceful settlement of Dutch-Indonesian differences.
4 See Document 259.
_
[1.] Large scale hostilities this might endanger peace and