Cablegram K297 BATAVIA, 13 April 1949, 4 p.m.
1. Van Royen arrived on April 12th and preliminary discussions will begin on Thursday April 14th.
2. The attitudes of the parties are in direct conflict. The Republican leaders claim they are unable to take decisions until they are restored as a Government to Djokjakarta. Van Royen says the Netherlands will refuse to restore the Republican Government until the leaders make a firm public commitment regarding:
(a) The cease-hostilities order;
(b) participation in the conference at The Hague.
3. Since my K296 [1] the Dutch extended the ultimatum until April 12th. Cochran, as this week’s chairman, has informally pressed the Dutch, on behalf of the Commission, to refrain from any action at this stage. There is evidence, however, that the Netherlands forces are intensifying their operations against the T.N.I. in West Java.
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1 Document 351.
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[AA : A1838, 854/10/4/3, iv]