Cablegram K145 [KALIURANG], 5 July 1948
SECRET
It seems clear that the conference called by East Indonesia for Wednesday (see para. 2 of my K. 144 [1]) is a Dutch plot. Even Van Diffelen (see telegram 159 [2]) makes no attempt to hide the fact that the Dutch strategy will be to work through non-Republican Indonesians. Many of the latter appear to be sincere Nationalists but easily misled and confused.
East Indonesians will present the Conference with specific proposals calling for a council of Three or Five Indonesians who would have internal de facto powers and be responsible directly to the Minister for Overseas Territories. They would commence reorganisation of the Government Administration on a Federal basis. The proposals are likely to be weakest on the questions of Foreign Affairs, the army and internal security.
The present ambitious schedule is to have the proposals approved by Friday when ‘Friendly demands’ would be made on the Dutch and given full publicity. Van Mook’s answer would be expected by the following Monday. The Republic have already been invited to participate but its refusal would not delay implementation of the proposals.
_
1 See paragraph 2 of Document 202.
2 See Document 204.
_
[AA:A1838, 403/3/1/1, xviii]