Cablegram 289 CANBERRA, 2 October 1947, 5.40 p.m.
MOST IMMEDIATE TOP SECRET
Your E.22. [1]
Must stress again that it is essential you keep us fully and immediately informed at every stage. You should at once send us your part of the Joint Report; if too long to telegraph in full at least cable summary of main points.
2. Your telegram fully confirms our impression that United States and Belgium are using delaying tactics, and we feel compelled to raise matter again in Security Council. Since majority of Commission appears to be opposed to delay, you should endeavour to obtain submission to Security Council of information so far gained as a first report. See no reason why conclusions of American military observers could not be submitted later as supplement to first report.
3. Desirable you should remain at Batavia during this vital period, to watch and report day-to-day developments and do everything practicable to urge Consular Commission to complete its report. [2] Submission of information to Security Council as suggested in your paragraph 6(a), without endorsement of Consular Commission, would seem unprofitable at this stage and scarcely likely to impress Council. If it becomes desirable at later stage for you to return to Australia for brief consultation, I shall endeavour to meet your personal wishes in regard calling at Dili.
In any case we will keep in mind need for early visit to Dili.
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1 Document 359.
2 Eaton replied on 4 October that drafting of the joint report would commence on 7 October, that he expected the report would be complete by 12 October, and that a joint military report would not be submitted to the Security Council.
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[AA:A1838/283, 403/3/1/1, xi]