287

Department of External Affairs to Hood and Critchley

Cablegrams 135, 42 CANBERRA, 10 March 1949, 4 p.m.

CONFIDENTIAL

INDONESIA

There have been no developments in the last few days such as to call for any departure from views expressed in our 127. [1] As will have seen from Critchley’s last telegram [2], the Dutch continue to refuse to restore Republican Government at Djokjakarta, and as long as this situation prevails the Republicans will presumably not agree to participation in any conference. A good deal may depend on the attitude of the B.F.O.

which, if it adheres to its resolution [3] of 3rd March, will make it impossible for the Dutch to hold any sort of Conference and will force them to reconsider their attitude. It is all the more important that the Security Council should help to stiffen B.F.O.

by standing firm on compliance with its resolution before any conference takes place.

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1 Document 270.

2 Document 284.

3 See document 279.

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[AA : A1838, 403/3/1/1, xxi]