Jakarta, 16 September 1963
828. Unclassified Immediate
Subandrio announced today Indonesia would not consider proclamation of Malaysia tomorrow as legal because of flaws in United Nations’ Survey in the Borneo Territories. Subandrio made announcement after meeting of Ministers and Services Chiefs at Bogor Palace.1 Subandrio listed three flaws.
First : There was limitation in time of U.N. Survey Work in the area.
Second : Sending of observers was too much delayed.
Third : Previous fixing of Malaysia date before the outcome of the U.N. Survey.
2. Subandrio said that for these reasons Indonesia considered U.N.’s duties in the area did not agree with the procedures and decisions adopted at the recent Manila Summit Conference Agreement. Subandrio said Indonesia was, however, prepared to change her stand on Malaysia provided proper corrections were made to results of U.N. Survey Work. He said Indonesia would try at the U.N. to get these corrections made. He said U Thant had acknowledged and signified these flaws in several of his reports.2 Subandrio made it clear that under the circumstances Indonesia would not be able to welcome Malaysia although the Manila Accord specified Indonesia and Philippines should welcome the new state.
[NAA: A1209, 1963/6637 part 3]
1 Presidential Palace situated in Bogor, 60 km south of Jakarta.
2 The Secretary-General’s report contained two critical references: (a) that there might have been less misunderstanding among the other parties to the Manila agreement ‘if the date could have been fixed after [his] conclusions had been reached and made known’; and that the facilities granted to the observers did not meet those requested.