Cablegram Hague 56 CANBERRA, 15 May 1947, 4.35 p.m.
IMMEDIATE SECRET
1. Forsyth reports that he was invited by Republican officials to visit Djokjakarta. Van Mook refused permission. This is in spite of the fact that two members of the British Consulate-General paid a visit to Djokjakarta. [1]
2. You will appreciate that in these negotiations we have met the Dutch in every point. There has been no publicity and, while in discussions Dutch have been exasperatingly unreasonable, we have as yet made no comment. This discrimination against Australian officials however, cannot be accepted.
3. Three senior-rating Indonesian officials wish to visit Australia on the Manoora and approval has not been given for this.
[2] Their visit would have been most useful and timely if arrangements being discussed at Batavia with our officials were to come to anything, as the visit by the Indonesians would have guaranteed the co-operation of waterside workers’ unions. In fact, the arrangements we have suggested, while agreed by each party separately, have not been finally agreed between themselves. We can only conclude that, in spite of assurances that agreement has been reached in principle, difficulties will be found over detail.
4. So long as Dutch officials at Batavia adopt this attitude, there can be no solution to outstanding problems between the Dutch and Indonesians and no solution to problems standing in the way of better relations between Australia and Batavia.
5. You should endeavour to have sent to Batavia a directive which would ensure a greater degree of understanding and co-operation on these matters.
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1 See Document 56.
2 See Document 54 and note 2 thereto.
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[AA:A1838/278, 401/1/3/2, ii]