476

Critchley to Department of External Affairs

Cablegram K21 BATAVIA, 17 December 1947, 7.10 p.m. Received 18

IMPORTANT SECRET

Annex 1 [1] to a plan for achieving, a speedy and effective truce sent to the parties on [3rd] December [2], begins.

1. [3] A demilitarised zone is defined for the purposes set forth in S and C 10 one-nine [4] as a zone from which all personnel of all military units together with their arms and equipment have been withdrawn.

The term military units does not apply to civil police.

Suggestions as to the, control, type and armament of the demilitarised zones would be submitted by the Committee of Good Offices if requested by the parties as indicated in paragraph 10 of S and C 10 one-nine.

3. (a) The positions of troops of the two parties on November 20th 1947 is not a factor to be taken into account by the two parties in their submissions to the Committee of Good Offices with regard to delineation of the demilitarised zones.

3. (b) Welfare refers not only to law and order but to living fitness of the population. The welfare of local population is a term to be given a common sense definition.

4. It is recognised that each party i[n] [5] making its submissions and advancing its arguments before special committee [of] the [other] party in connection with delineation of a demilitarised zone will necessarily take into account considerations of military security. The Committee of Good Offices will consider verifying in the field, within the limitations of its available personnel, the data supplied by the parties if the parties so desire.

7. ‘The present positions’ means positions of troops in any area [of] Java, Sumatra and Madura. This paragraph has for its intention the cessation of all troop movements of a hostile nature calculated to gain a military objective. It is not the intention of this paragraph to preclude movements of troops for purposes of military administration or supply or operations of civil police forces in the maintenance of law and order within the territories occupied.

9. (a) It is recognised that many technical problems are involved in the resumption of normal trade and intercourse among various areas and that these problems would require solution by agreement between the parties with the assistance of the Committee of Good Offices if requested.

9. (b) This paragraph applies to both parties. The question whether withdrawal of troops of only one party or of both would be required could only be answered following determination of the location of the demilitarised zones.

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1 See Document 475.

2 Document 449.

3 The paragraph numbers are those of the relevant paragraphs of Document 449.

4 Document 449.

5 Text in square brackets has been corrected from a copy of the annex on file AA:A4357/1, 48/255, ii.

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[AA : A1838/274, 854/10/4/2, ii]