Cablegram UN1[2]42 NEW YORK, 19 December 1947, 10.20 p.m.
SECRET
Security 545.
1. After the Indonesian Representative had formally stated the wish of his Government to maintain the nomination of Australia to the Committee of Good Offices, the Council today unanimously agreed to continuation of Australian Membership on the Committee after 31st December.
2. A statement was made by Australian Representative in terms of your UNY747 [1] with modifications necessitated by receipt here yesterday of a telegram from the Chairman of the Committee of Three indicating that an interim report of the Committee would be cabled to Lake Success ‘on or about’ 22nd December. We urged that it would still be desirable for the reasons given in our statement for the Council to ask specifically for inclusion in the report of details of the plan for ensuring observance of Cease Fire order.
The Council agreed that this plan should come before it but in view of prior receipt of the telegram from Graham the majority of Members considered that it was unnecessary to make a specific request to Committee at this stage on the ground that Council should first have an opportunity of considering the report. The position was left at the understanding that Members represented on the Committee should if they so wished communicate with their Representatives indicating the trend of discussion in the Council and Council’s assumption that it would be apprised of plan referred to.
3. There was definite feeling among majority of the Council that the Council should not appear to be interfering with the operation of the Committee and in the circumstances of prior receipt of Graham’s message above was the best result that could be obtained.
4. Statement was made by Palar referring to Dutch action in Madoera and also to treatment of Prisoners of War, and U.S.S.R.
and Poland together with ourselves spoke strongly against tendencies delaying work of the Committee but in the main discussion was confined to the above question of the Committee’s report.
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1 Document 471.
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[AA:A1838/274, 854/10/4/2, ii]