397

Australian Delegation, United Nations, to Department of External Affairs

Cablegram UN1047 NEW YORK, 29 October 1947, 10.07 [p.m.]

SECRET

Security 151.

Council continued discussion on Indonesia Wednesday afternoon.

At outset United Kingdom withdrew their resolution [1] in favour of United States proposal. [2]

Poland delivered long speech directed against Netherlands and presented new resolution finding Netherlands responsible for breach of ‘Cease Fire’ order, calling for withdrawal by Netherlands of all armed forces and civil administration from Indonesia, instructing Consular Commission to supervise compliance with Council resolutions of August 1st and 26th and this resolution, requesting Commission of Three to take into account Netherlands failure to comply with Council resolution of August 1st and 26th and drawing attention of Netherlands to fact that such failure ‘may lead to necessity of supplying enforcement measures’.

Belgium supported Netherlands and blamed Indonesians for breaches of ‘Cease Fire’ order.

We [interpreted] [3] meaning of Council’s resolution of August 1st stating that it meant cessation of all hostile acts. We pointed out that Indonesian interpretation of order was correct, but Dutch had placed an incorrect interpretation on it which meant they continued operations. We referred to Dutch advance even after August 4th emphasising that main task of Council now is to ensure cessation of hostilities, we said that only way to achieve this was by breaking contact between forces and accordingly we would support Soviet proposal [4] and in event of its defeat would press for vote on our resolution. [5] Our proposed amendment [6] is as follows:

Amend last paragraph to read as follows:

Advises the parties concerned, the Committee of Good Offices, and the Consular Commission that its resolution of August 1st should be interpreted as not permitting the use of the armed forces of either party to consolidate, control or acquire territory not physically occupied on August 4th, 1947.

Next meeting Friday morning and if no decision is then reached meeting will continue Friday afternoon.

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1 See Document 375.

2 See Documents 387 and 394.

3 The cabled text reads ‘realised’.

4 See Document 365.

5 See Document 371. See also Documents 373 and 377.

6 This is an amendment to the United States draft resolution (see Documents 387 and 394) which Hodgson proposed to table in the event that the Soviet and Australian draft resolutions were not adopted.

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[AA:A1838/283, 403/3/1/1/, xii]