Cablegram K62 BATAVIA, 11 February 1948, 6.20 p.m.
SECRET
Your telegram 27. [1] Parties have agreed that in addition to the Conference there will be four main committees dealing with:
(a) Political Affairs.
(b) Military Affairs.
(c) Economic and Financial Affairs.
(d) Social and administration affairs. [2]
2. The Committee [3] with agreement of the parties will endeavour to be represented at all meetings of the main committees by one member of each delegation, the chairman of the Good Offices Committee or his representative will chair the main committees.
3. A draft[ing] committee will be set up and a steering committee consisting of the Committee of Good Offices and two representatives of each delegation [has already been established].
[4] It will be a function of the steering committee to ensure that, as far as possible, the meetings of the main committees are not held simultaneously.
4. The Committee will not be represented on the sub-committee[s] but may send representatives when important matters are being discussed.
5. Belgian and United States representatives are planning on the basis that, apart from clerical help, they will require at least two senior assistants. For the time being Cutts and myself are adequate but if the work progresses as planned an additional officer will be needed.
6. Please advise if arrangements can be made for Moore’s return.
Any information about movements of Australian aircraft would be relevant. [5]
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1 Dispatched on 6 February, it advised Critchley that Moore would return to Australia and be replaced by Cutts from the Office of the Australian Commissioner for Malaya. It asked Critchley for the details of his future commitments with the Committee of Good Offices.
2 These were Committees of the Conference between the Delegates of the Governments of the Netherlands and the Republic of Indonesia.
On 28 January the Ad Hoc Committee on Procedure of the Conference decided that future meetings of the Conference would be held alternately in Batavia and Djokjakarta.
3 i.e. the Committee of Good Offices.
4 Words and characters in square brackets have been inserted from a copy on file AA:A4357/2, 48/254, ii.
5 i.e. transport for eight military assistants proceeding from Darwin to Batavia: Lieutenant Colonel RE. Dewar, Major C.A.
Ridley, Captain I.H. Smith, Captain I.H. Ewing, Captain C.W.
Godfrey, Group Captain R.F.M. Green, Wing Commander A.R. Emslie and Flight Lieutenant J.E. Delacy.
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[AA:A1838, 403/3/1/1, xv]