Cablegram 351 CANBERRA, 18 November 1947, 2.35 p.m.
SECRET PERSONAL
I have now seen summary (telegraphed from London) of report made by Military observers at request of Committee on subject of observance of cease-fire order. [1] Summary confirms your statement that recommendations of military observers are in several respects very disadvantageous to Republicans. [2] In particular the resuscitation of the Consular Commission Military Sub-Committee’s suggestion of 2nd October that Indonesian troops isolated by Dutch action should be regarded as militarily defeated and should be repatriated, in order to prepare way for fixation of demarcation line at present Dutch positions, would seem to me to be inconsistent with terms of 1st November resolution, and in any event quite unacceptable to Republican authorities at this late stage. You yourself will know best what prospect there is of Netherlands-Republican agreement to establish demilitarised zone, and will presumably resist any bringing of pressure on Republicans to withdraw unilaterally from present positions.
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1 See Document 414, note 2.
2 See Document 416, paragraph 14.
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[AA:A1838/283, 403/3/1/1, xiii]