Cablegram K170 BATAVIA, 7 October 1948
SECRET
The Americans have not yet made known the contents of the Netherlands oral note (my K.168). [1] They are working through the State Department to bring increasing pressure on the Dutch presumably in the hope of obtaining an acceptance of the Cochran proposals.
2. The Dutch are anchoring their position with judicious press leaks. For example, the Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant of October 6th quotes an authoritative source at The Hague that Batavia and The Hague are preparing a plan to serve as a basis for a new and last attempt to come to an agreement with the Republic. The plan will include part of the Cochran plan with the exception of several principles which are ‘unacceptable to the federalists and the Netherlands’. It will also contain the main elements of the results achieved at the conference with the federalists at The Hague and a certain period will be stated in which Djokja’s reply would be expected.
3. If, as I expect, the Dutch refuse to give way the problem will have to be referred back to the Security Council. On present indications the Americans would do this without delay and take a firm line. They speak of the present Dutch policy as ‘folly’ and Scott has even referred to the partition of the Indies as an ultimate possibility.
4. On October 6 the Netherlands authorities assured the Republican Delegation that for the time being and pending results of the conversations toward the resumption of the negotiations no Republican families will be deported from Netherlands-controlled territory. The Netherlands Indies Government intends, however, to evict a small number of men against whom it has definite proof of subversive activities.
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1 See Document 265.
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[AA:A4357/2, 48/254, v]