Cablegram 208 WASHINGTON, 3 March 1949, 8.56 p.m.
IMPORTANT RESTRICTED
INDONESIA.
State Department clearly do not think it possible at this stage to persuade the Dutch to comply with the letter of the January 28th Resolution. [1] Their line of approach is to press the Dutch to clarify their proposals and to come forward with further assurances. They consider this should be done either before or immediately after the Security Council meets.
The United States position in the Security Council will probably be along the following lines:
(a) Concern at the failure of the Dutch to comply with the Security Council Resolution.
(b) Insistence that the Republican Leaders must be given full freedom of movement to consult with Republican Leaders in Sumatra and Central Java.
(c) Stress on full role for the Commission.
(d) Statement that Dutch proposals are vague and obscure.
(e) Request for full details.
The State Department consider it quite impracticable for the conference to commence on March 12th. It would be impossible in such a short time for the Republicans Hatta and Soekarno to present a Republican point of view. Although they feel The Hague is not the best site for negotiations, they are not inclined to favour New York and are considering the possibility of suggesting Ceylon or Baguio.
The State Department does not have a clear picture of the present attitude of the Republicans following Koets’s visit [2] to Bangka.
They believe, however, that, providing that the Security Council remains adamant, particularly regarding the re-establishment of the Republican Government and maintenance of the Commission’s authority, the Republicans will probably agree to participate.
United States hope that, before any negotiations, the Republicans will be able to reach some measure of agreement with the Federalists.
In our conversations with the State Department, we have stressed that the Security Council must follow through its decision, and that the Dutch proposals fall far short of compliance. However, we believe that the above is a realistic summary of trend of United States thinking. We have not had an opportunity of discussing nomination today by the Dutch of Republican Representatives to The Hague talks, but the State Department is alive to the possibility that Dutch may proceed to hold conference unless the Council acts quickly.
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1 Document 168.
2 See Document 253 and 266.
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[AA : A1838, 401/3/1/1, vi]