Cablegram Hague 26 THE HAGUE, 18 February 1949, 5.15 p.m.
RESTRICTED
INDONESIA
The Minister for Overseas Territories [1] announced in the second chamber this morning that Cabinet discussions with Beel had resulted in ‘full clarification’ and that latter had expressed his full agreement with the policy outlined by the Government in the Chamber. [2] Discussions would be continued with high representative on implementation.
2. Press reception of Wednesday’s Ministerial statement (my telegrams 23 [3] and 24) was generally favourable with some reservations expressed about its vagueness on some important points. General opinion is that the Catholic Party (of which Beel is protege has been [4] and will continue in Government.
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1 H.J. van Maarseveen.
2 See Document 228.
3 Dispatched on 17 February, it reported that the Netherlands Government seemed to favour the ‘Beel Plan’ to transfer sovereignty earlier than previously envisaged to the ‘Republic of the United States of Indonesia’ Following the establishment of an Indonesian Federal Interim Government.
4 A sign here indicates ‘group mutilated.’
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[AA : A1838, 403/3/1/1, xxi]