Jakarta, 22 October 1975, 12.20 p.m.
O.JA2580 CONFIDENTIAL IMMEDIATE
Portuguese Timor: Missing Journalists
Ref. O.JA25581
General Adenan has just advised Dan that no further news had been received from Timor about the journalists.
- We asked Adenan why it was taking such a long time for them to convey a message from UDT/Apodeti. After all, UDT leader, Lopez da Cruz was reported in the press two days ago as having said that four bodies, possibly Australian, had been found at Balibo.
- Adenan said he was at a loss to know what the hold-up had been. The Indonesian authorities in Jakarta were making further urgent enquiries this morning. He still hoped he would have something to give us today.
- We have given Adenan the details concerning the three Channel 7 men set out in paragraph 3 ofCH281029.2
- We asked Adenan to send an urgent message to Governor El Tari in Kupang about Johnson’s visit. He undertook to do this.
- Please inform Maher (Channel 7) (Telephone Melbourne 693975 or 690771) and Cornford (Telephone Melbourne 421785) that we are still awaiting confirmation. Both have rung the Embassy. Gerald Stone (Channel 9 in Sydney) had also rung us earlier.
[NAA: A10463, 801/13/11/5, i]
- 1 Document 283.
- 2 21 October. It also reported discussions between representatives of Channel 7 with the Department and with the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra. Both Channels had offered to send representatives to Indonesian Timor to assist; Department officials had suggested to Channel 7 that they should delay at least until Johnson had reported.