Cablegram K303 BATAVIA, 3 May 1949, 3.30 a.m.
IMMEDIATE CONFIDENTIAL
Roem returned from Bangka last night, 2nd May, with approved texts of the compromise statements. They are the same as set out in paragraphs 6 and 7 of my telegram K.302 [1], except that:-
(a) Soekarno’s assurances, as well as those of Hatta, are included in the Republican statement;
(b) Paragraph 1 of the Netherlands statement is expanded to include in the agreement ‘to the setting up of a joint commission, under the auspices of the United Nations Commission for Indonesia, to make necessary investigations and preparations preliminary to the return’.
(c) Roem’s suggestion for Dutch undertaking regarding trade (paragraph 7(7) of K.302) has not been included.
2. Roem, after submitting the statements last night to Cochran, told me that the interview was stiff. Cochran was irritated that Hatta had not accepted his invitation to return to Batavia, and asked Roem whether there was more important work to be done at Bangka. Roem replied that there were political and psychological reasons why it was more important for the work in Batavia that Hatta should remain in Bangka.
Cochran seemed to think that the Netherlands would have difficulty in accepting:-
(a) The substitution of ‘urge’ for ‘insist’ in the last sentence of the Republican statement;
(b) The demand for the restoration of the whole of the Residency of Djokjakarta;
(c) Commitments regarding the continued functioning of Republican Civil Servants (paragraph [7] [2] (6) of K.302) since these raised issues outside the scope of the Council’s directive. [3]
4. Cochran threatened Roem that, should there be a breakdown, he would not support the Republican claim for the return on the whole of the Residency of Djokjakarta. Roem pointed out that the Republicans had endeavoured to find a compromise suitable to the Netherlands in view of the latter’s unwillingness to make firm commitment regarding 4(F) of the Security Council’s resolution.
[4] Under 4 (F), there could be no doubt but that the whole of the Residency should be administered by the Republic. He added that the Republican demand was more than a legal question since the Sultan of Djokjakarta considered the Residency the minimum area within which law and order could be maintained.
5. Cochran concluded the interview by saying that he would pass on the Republican drafts to Van Royen and hoped that they would be acceptable.
6. Roem assures me that the Republican leaders are agreed that they have gone as far as possible. Already there has been a strong objection to carry out the Republican statement and Natsir (who has had the Ministry of Information in all Republican Cabinets) has resigned from the Delegation. Roem expressed fear, however, that if Cochran brought additional pressure on Hatta, the latter might make further concessions.
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1 Document 372.
2 Number in square brackets inserted from a copy on file AA :
A4968/2, 25/9/3, ii.
3 See Document 312.
4 Document 168.
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[AA : A1838, 854/10/4/3, v]