Canberra, 2 May 1974
0.CH51736 CONFIDENTIAL
Portuguese Timor
Although we do not want you to raise the matter formally with the Indonesians at present, we should also be interested to have reports on Indonesian views on the future of Portuguese Timor.
- In response to an enquiry by the Indonesian Embassy here about Australia’s position on the change of regime in Portugal, we referred to Minister’s statement of 29 April (our telegram 2836) and stated that Minister’s emphasis on Portuguese African territories was deliberate but that we should nevertheless also welcome political evolution in Portuguese Timor.
- In response to press enquiries on the future prospects for Portuguese Timor in the light of recent events in Lisbon, we propose to say that while Australia is interested in these developments from the point of view of Portugal’s overseas territories generally, in the absence of an armed liberation struggle in Portuguese Timor, we see the situation there as different to that obtaining in the African territories.1 We would also say that, for the time being, the Government proposes to adopt a ‘business as usual’ approach to relations with Portuguese Timor.2
[NAA: A1838, 49/2/111, ii]
- 1 Cablegram CH53645 (7 May) dismissed the concern of the Embassy in Jakarta that the wording in this sentence might suggest Australia saw armed liberation struggle as a prerequisite for political evolution.
- 2 In Cablegram JA2391 (17 May) the Embassy replied that there was no recollection of the question of Portuguese Timor being raised in discussion between Indonesia and Australia, and there had been no recent indication of any interest in doing so. There was nothing to add to a 1973 assessment that Indonesia would in principle be glad to see the colony liberated ‘under conditions favourable to Indonesia’, but would not want a small independent neighbour which could be used as a base for subversion.