Cablegram 270 CANBERRA, 15 September 1947, 3.30 p.m.
MOST IMMEDIATE SECRET
Dutch Minister here has urged early completion of Consular Commission work and asked that priority be given to the consideration of measures which would render the ‘cease fire’ order effective. This comes as a surprise to us, and it gives us the opportunity we desire to suggest measures such as troop withdrawals. We assume that Consular report will include recommendations of this nature, and please advise us of any such proposals before they are included in the draft report. Our view is that the report should concern itself more with recommendations of this nature than, with comments on allegations regarding breaches of the ‘cease fire’.
2. The estimate that Consular work will be complete by the end of September [1] is difficult to understand, as it would appear that the work of observation would have to continue until there was no danger of breaches of the ‘cease fire’ order. At the present rate of progress the Committee of Three will not be operating by the end of September.
3. Your 312. [2] It does not seem likely that the Dutch would agree to us appointing a representative at Djokjakarta. We assume that you will be returning to Djokjakarta in due course and could discuss the work of the Committee of Three in your capacity as Australian Consul-General. Meanwhile, inform Sjarifoeddin that you have been asked to do so and that, in any case, an officer working with the Australian representative on the Committee of Three, if not the Australian representative himself, will no doubt, in due course, discuss with Sjarifoeddin the work of that Committee. It would be worthwhile your approaching the Dutch authorities to see whether, in order to facilitate the work of the Committee, they would be agreeable to an official of the Consulate Office at Batavia being located at Djokjakarta.
4. Please keep us fully informed of anything which you expect might be included in final report.
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1 See Document 333 and note 2 thereto.
2 Document 331.
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[AA:A1838/274, 854/10/4/2, i]