350

Cablegram to Canberra

Jakarta, 29 November 1975

O.JA3360 SECRET IMMEDIATE

Portuguese Timor

Ref O.JA33591

Tjan and Lim Bian Kie mentioned to Dan this morning one additional matter not reported in our reference telegram.

  1. At the Indonesian Government’s high level meeting on Timor this morning the participants reacted angrily at the news of Portugal’s response to the UDI. The meeting strongly condemned Portugal for its handling of the Portuguese Timor problem. It was recalled that Portugal had abandoned Portuguese Timor after the 10 August show of force; that it had allowed FRETILIN to achieve its position through the use of Portuguese arms; that in its dealings with Indonesia it had been devious. Portugal, to relieve itself of its responsibilities in Portuguese Timor, had all along tried to provoke Indonesia to invade Portuguese Timor. Portugal itself could not restore peace and order in Portuguese Timor but it refused to invite the only country which could-Indonesia. The Rome meeting, which had appeared to be on the surface the only bright spot in an otherwise shabby Portuguese performance had now been shown to be a fraudulent exercise by Portugal.

[NAA: A10463, 801/13/11/1, xvi]

  • 1 Document 349.