Cablegram UNP110 CANBERRA, 6 December 1948
SECRET
delegation for them to realise nothing i[s] to be gained by keeping matter out of Council and allowing it to be dealt with by backstage negotiation. Republican reluctance to hand over control of their forces is understandable when there are so many non- police military forces in Netherlands East Indies. Americans should be pressing Dutch to withdraw forces and to make agreement which would give Republicans some confidence in good faith of Dutch and remove fear of police action. Our own view is that if U.S.A. and United Kingdom are not prepared to press Dutch to point of agreement then matter should go to Council immediately.
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1 Document 345.
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[AA:A1838, 854/10/4/2, vii]