354

Australian Delegation, United Nations, to Department of External Affairs

Cablegram Austdel 342 PARIS, 7 December 1948, 10.45 p.m.

IMPORTANT SECRET

Your UNP.110.

Indonesian delegation stressed again this morning their fear of early military action by Dutch consequent upon breakdown in negotiations and return of Dutch Mission to The Hague. They are now ready to seek Security Council intervention and decision on help but are anxious to obtain support of United States beforehand. Palar is seeing Jessup regarding this tomorrow morning. He thought that delay would be dangerous as from the Dutch point of view a favourable opportunity to launch such an action would be between the rising of the Security Council in Paris and its resumption in New York. [1]

2. Indonesians are thinking along lines of resolution calling upon Dutch to refrain from military action and are contemplating putting up further resolution suggesting that the powers of Good Offices Commission should be extended to arbitration or something just short of it.

3. Will advise developments closely.

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1 The 357th to 396th meetings of the Security Council from 16 September to 29 December were held in Paris. The Security Council reconvened at Lake Success on 7 January 1949.

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[AA:A1838, 403/3/1/1, xix]