Canberra, 21 September 1963
695. Confidential
Malaysia and the United Nations
Our immediately following telegram contains text of report from New York on 20th September. (UN 1193).1
2. Minister would like you to tell the Tunku that he himself has considered this matter closely on the basis of the New York report and discussions here and that he broadly agrees with New York conclusions.
3. The Minister takes this attitude having regard to the implications of failure of a move at this stage on present evidence as prejudicing future reference of a strong and substantial case.
4. The situation could change and another look may become necessary at any time. But rather than move formally at this stage Minister feels we should carefully watch and collect evidence and that the Malaysian authorities should concentrate on diplomatic activity of the kind they are now engaging in.
[NAA: A1838, 3027/9/1 part 1]
1 19 September. It provided a summary of the developments at the UN of that day, including Australian–British–New Zealand discussions with the Malaysian delegation on possible reference of Malaysia’s case against Indonesian aggression to the UN; signs that the Philippines were anxious about developments; and the Secretary-General’s advice that he had communicated with the Indonesian Government over developments in Jakarta. After the discussions with the Malaysian delegation, the consensus among the three Commonwealth missions ‘was strongly against reference to the United Nations’. They considered that ‘a reference to the Security Council (utility of reference to Assembly was completely discounted) in the absence of clear evidence of Indonesian troop movements or other military intentions which would constitute a threat to the peace would be counter-productive’. The action would allow ‘unfriendly delegations’ to question the status of Malaysia and the Secretary-General’s findings, which would then allow the Indonesians to divert attention to the British and have the effect of turning the issue into a colonial one, jeopardising any Afro-Asian support.