Cablegram 4308 LONDON, 21 December 1948, 9.30 p.m.
IMMEDIATE CONFIDENTIAL
Received 22 December 1948, 10.50 a.m.
INDONESIA
United Kingdom instructions to Dening, who will sit on Security Council, have not yet been finally settled but they will favour resolution for an immediate cease-fire and use of Good Offices Committee in demarcation and other duties. They will probably also express opposition to including in resolution anything which would invoke chapter 7 [1] at this stage.
2. United Kingdom has received strong protests from India and hints of direct action by Indian Government against Dutch.
3. United Kingdom information is that Dutch will disregard any call for cease-fire and go on fighting.
4. While Ministers and Officials immediately concerned are angry with Dutch action, British press has given much less prominence to it than to Dutch military action of July and August 1947. This may indicate lack of public interest. Mr. Chifley’s statement of today’ is published briefly in all evening papers.
_1 i.e. Chapter 7 of the United Nations Charter (see note 1 to Document 299).
2 Document 413.
_
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