Cablegram 201 CANBERRA, 19 January 1949, 4.35 p.m.
IMPORTANT SECRET
INDONESIA
It is most important that Security Council should adopt a satisfactory resolution without delay. United States is considering submission of a draft resolution [1] which is satisfactory as far as it goes, but we have pointed out that American proposal that the two parties resume negotiations under auspices of Committee of Good Offices would give Dutch at least two more months in which to exert pressure on the republic and is unlikely to produce any settlement. We have told Australian Representative in New York that Council should make up its mind that it will have to lay down terms of settlement, and that it should accordingly give its proposed Indonesian Commission three weeks in which to draw up technical details of a just and workable settlement (working by majority vote and consulting parties as necessary) for presentation to Security Council for endorsement.
We would hope that United Kingdom Government will support resolution on these lines. Our impression is that up to now, United Kingdom has been content to accept Dutch assurances regarding establishment of interim Government and holding of elections. On 12th January Cadogan in discussions with Jessup, Rau, and Hood seemed unprepared to commit himself to definite timetable for elections and transfer of sovereignty and wanted any supervision to be entrusted to Consular Commission (which we think should be abolished) rather than to proposed U.N. Commission. In Security Council on 14th January Cadogan expressed himself as reassured by Dutch statement and suggested that Good Offices Committee be invited to submit further reports. [2] In our view this merely invites further delays, and you should do everything possible to urge United Kingdom to adopt line.
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1 Document 86.
2 See Document 92.
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[AA : A1838, 401/3/1/1, vi]