Cablegram 702 WASHINGTON, 2 June 1947, 6 p.m.
IMMEDIATE
Your telegram No. 626. [1]
State Department confirm that they asked Netherlands’ authorities at Hague some weeks ago to notify Indonesian officials of United States decision to extend de facto recognition. [2] They state Sjahrir referred to this in a recent broadcast commenting that United States should not have taken this step through the Netherlands.
Generally State Department are now awaiting reactions of Indonesians to latest Netherlands proposals of 27th May. [3] They have not yet had anything definite on this but state that both United States and United Kingdom representatives in N.E.I. have telegraphed reporting that in the last few days there has been a more hopeful atmosphere than at any time hitherto. They add that it is not yet clear whether this development should be attributed to latest Dutch proposals or to visit of Netherlands Prime Minister and Minister Foreign Affairs.
We hope to telegraph more fully shortly. Ends.
_1 Dispatched on 30 May, it sought confirmation of press reports that the United States Government had extended de facto recognition to the Republic of Indonesia in Java, Sumatra and Madura.
2 Telegrams conveying the decision to the United States’ representatives at The Hague and Batavia were dispatched by the Department of State on 3 April.
3 See Document 71, note 3.
_
[AA:A3300/2, 441]