Cablegram 506 LONDON, 20 December 1948, 9.10 p.m.
SECRET
My telegram H No. 496 [1] of 11th December-Indonesia.
The news that the Netherlands Government had renewed the ‘Police Action’ in Indonesia on the morning of Sunday, 19th December, was received in profound regret by His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom, who had been unsparing in their efforts to urge on the Dutch the grave consequences of a failure to achieve a peaceful settlement. Despite the crisis in the Dutch Government we still hoped that, although there were divergences between the views of the Dutch and Republicans, a means might be found of bridging the gap.
2. The matter is now before the Security Council which met on 10.30 on the 20th December. The Soviet Delegate did not appear, but sent a message to say that the Soviet Delegation had not been given the requisite notice for the meeting, and therefore requested that it should be adjourned. The meeting was accordingly adjourned until Wednesday, the 22nd December, after it had been agreed that the President of the Security Council should call for an immediate report from the Committee of Good Offices.
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1 It conveyed the news of the breakdown in talks between the Netherlands and Republican Delegations and informed the Australian Government of a request of Bevin to the Netherlands Government on 8 December not to take any irrevocable action which might prejudice further negotiations.
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[AA:A1838, 403/3/1/1, xx]