384

Cutts to Department of External Affairs

Cablegram K212 BATAVIA, 19 December 1948, 4.20 a.m.

MOST IMMEDIATE CONFIDENTIAL

At 1100 hours last night (December 18th) Schuurman handed to Cochran (who is still in Batavia) and to the Republican representatives in Batavia copies of a Netherlands note addressed to the Chairman of the Committee of Good Offices referring to previous letters from the Netherlands Delegation to the Committee regarding truce violations. [1] These are held to demonstrate that the truce is not being observed by the Republic and can therefore no longer be considered in force. The note then states by virtue of article ten of the truce agreement [2], the truce is to be considered terminated as from midnight last night.

2. Schuurman undertook to keep the Committee fully informed of all develop-ments including any decision to commence military action.

3. An official Netherlands statement is to be issued at 8 a.m.

today. It is believed that this will announce the establishment of an interim Federal Government.

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1 The text of Schuurman’s letter to Cochran dated 18 December is given in United Nations, Security Council Official Records, Third Year, Supplement for December, pp.224-7.

2 See Article 10 of Document 22.

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