349

Eaton to Department of External Affairs

Cablegram 294 BATAVIA, 4 December 1948, 2.30 p.m.

IMMEDIATE CONFIDENTIAL

I have received a letter from Agus Salim [1] saying that he hopes that the E.C.A.F.E. Conference will come to a favourable decision on the Republic’s application for associate membership. He says Usman’s present position seems to have created the misunderstanding that the Republic is reluctant to have its application discussed by the current session and therefore requests me to pass to you this message:

‘No objection to our application being discussed in the present session of the E.C.A.F.E. at Lapstone. The written consent is being sent to the Australian Consul General at Batavia.’

2. I have also received an envelope addressed to the Executive Secretary of E.C.A.F.E. for transmission through me and presumably containing the written consent and Usman’s credentials. Our next air bag leaves Batavia December 7th.

3. I understand Usman has been cabled instructions.

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1 No copy could be found.

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[AA:A1838, 403/2/3/8]