Cablegram [ECAFE] 12 OOTACAMUND, 9 June 1948, 9.15 p.m.
IMMEDIATE
The Commission this morning voted in favour of postponement of the application of the Republic of Indonesia for associate membership [1] until the next session by 6 votes to 5. Those for postponement, Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States, New Zealand, [France] [2] and Philippines, those against, India, Australia, Pakistan, U.S.S.R., Burma. Abstention China and Siam.
Last minute change of attitude by New Zealand delegate from abstention to support of postponement decided. In explaining vote the New Zealand delegate said he agreed on the merit of the Republican case but in view of first principles of the Renville agreement, and having in mind Commission terms of reference he considered the question should be postponed. I have fully explained our attitude to the New Zealand delegate.
In discussion I spoke strongly against the postponement mainly on the basis that the Republic internationally accorded de facto status was sufficient for provisional membership now without prejudice of final settlement or present political status of parties.
Your telegram 8. [3] No official move was made by the Republic to seek Netherlands sponsorship for separate associate membership [nor] was sponsorship offered by the Netherlands.
Original Netherlands proposal for associate membership of the whole of Indonesia also postponed.
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1 See Document 165.
2 Words in square brackets in this Document were added by hand.
3 Dispatched on 9 June, it stated that Ward had not made clear whether the Netherlands was prepared to sponsor the Republic for separate associate membership distinct from that of the rest of Indonesia. It instructed Ward that, if the Netherlands were not prepared to do so, he should explore no further, at the current session of ECAFE, the possibility of a compromise between the Netherlands and the Republic, but that if the Netherlands was prepared to do so, he should persuade the Republic to accept Netherlands sponsorship as an associate member.
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[AA:A1838, 403/2/3/8]