Cablegram K250 BATAVIA, 16 January 1949, 11 p.m.
My telegram K.247. [1] Text of the Committee’s telegraphic report on the visit to Hatta and other Republican leaders at Bangka follows en clair.
2. In private conversations Hatta stressed the extreme difficulty of restoring the goodwill towards the Dutch following Military action and therefore of stopping the fighting and reaching a negotiated settlement. He emphasised the importance of economic sanctions in the form of executive decisions by Asian countries and the withdrawal of Marshall aid to Holland.
3. Radio Australia is internees’ main source of current information.
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1 Dispatched on 12 January, it reported inter alia that the Committee of Good Offices would be visiting Hatta, Roem and Sastroamidjojo on Bangka on 15 January.
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[AA : A1838, 403/2/3/2, iii]