Letter NEW YORK, 13 February 1948
UNRESTRICTED
I have the honour, on instruction from my Government, to request that Australia be given the opportunity to participate in the discussion of the Indonesian question before the Security Council, pursuant to Article 31 of the Charter of the United Nations. [1]
My Government is confident that the Security Council will consider that the interests of Australia are especially affected by the situation in Indonesia. In New Guinea, Australian territory is contiguous with that of the Netherlands East Indies and the whole area concerned is adjacent to and of obvious significance to Australia. Again, Australia has close economical and commercial relations with the Netherlands East Indies, the maintenance and furtherance of which are dependent on stable political conditions.
It will further be recalled that Australia, as a member of the Security Council, took an active part in the discussion of this question during 1947, and that an Australian representative is one of the three members of the Security Council Committee of Good Offices.
I have also the honour to advise you that I have been authorized by my Government to act as the Australian representative before the Security Council for the discussion of the Indonesian question.
Mr. William D. Forsyth, Counsellor of the Australian Embassy, Washington, will act as alternate representative.
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1 Article 31 of the United Nations Charter provides that any member of the United Nations not a member of the Security Council may participate, without a vote, in discussions before the Security Council where the Council considers the interests of that member are specially affected.
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[AA:A1838, 403/3/1/1, xv]