Cablegram 286 CANBERRA, 10 March 1947
SECRET
We are very much concerned at the delay in reaching final agreement between the Netherlands Government and the Indonesian authorities. You will have received the comment of the Minister in the House that a heavy responsibility will be placed on whichever party causes any unnecessary delay. [1] Negotiations having progressed so far we cannot afford to see them fail at this point, for failure would mean further protracted negotiations and the continuation of an unsettled situation. If no progress is made, we may be bound, as a representative of this area of the members of the United Nations and the Security Council, to raise the question in the Council, as the unsettled situation will probably be a threat to peace. Please ascertain the attitude and intentions of the United States Government regarding the apparent breakdown in the Dutch/Indonesian negotiations, and report back as a matter of urgency.
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1 Evatt’s comment was made in a speech in the House of Representatives on 26 February. See Commonwealth Parliamentary Debates, vol,190, p.166.
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[AA:A1838/283, 401/3/1/1, ii]