Canberra, 4 October 1963
721. 766. 1124. 567. Unclassified
Minister in statement at UNGA1 after reiterating main aspects of establishment of Malaysia said:
‘When Indonesia and the Philippines early this year expressed their misgivings about the extension of the Federation, Australia encouraged a meeting of the three Governments as a means of removing misunderstandings and of enabling Malaysia to be created with the goodwill of its neighbours. In the result the three Governments expressed an agreed basis on which Indonesia and the Philippines would welcome the new nation. That basis, namely a favourable report by the Secretary-General, eventuated. But unfortunately, Malaysia has not in fact been spared the hostility of Indonesia and the Philippines.
The clear and unambiguous report of the Secretary-General confirms that, in entering Malaysia, the inhabitants of the territories had exercised self-determination in conformity with the resolutions of this Assembly. I am sure that all members of this Organization should accept this conclusion and welcome a decolonization which accords with the principles of the Charter. I deeply regret that Indonesia and the Philippines, members of this Organization, have so far refused to accept the enlarged Federation. I hope that they will yet do so and enter, bona fide, as Australia and so many others of the United Nations will do, into close and friendly co-operation with Malaysia.
But I am bound to say that the course of the debate here, as well as the recent events in Djakarta, fills me with misgiving. In his principal address the distinguished representative of Indonesia2 advanced, as partial justification for his country’s refusal to accept the findings of the Secretary-General and for its declared intention to confront and destroy Malaysia, the form of the Federation as an alleged British creature imposed upon unwilling participants. In his subsequent speech in reply he advanced as a fresh justification the extended British-Malayan Defence Agreement of November 1961. But the role of Britain in welcoming and encouraging—but most carefully refraining from imposing—the concept of Malaysia, as well as the terms of the extended Defence Agreement, which provides the security of Malaysia, had both been known for more than a year and a half when, in Manila in July and August this year, Indonesia set, as the sole precondition of its readiness to welcome Malaysia, the satisfaction of the Secretary-General as to the wishes of the people of the Borneo Territories.
I should add that my Government has recently made it clear that, in the event of Malaysia or any of its constituent states being subjected in the future to armed invasion or subversive activity, supported or directed or inspired from outside—an event greatly to be deplored—we shall, in conformity with the Charter, to the best of our powers and by such means as shall be agreed upon with the Government of Malaysia, add our military assistance to the defence of Malaysia’s territorial integrity and political independence. This support springs not only from our long association with Malaya, but from our firm conviction that the new nation, as the expression of self-determination and the attainment and exercise of independence through federation, should be free to develop itself in peace.’
2. [ matter omitted ]
[NAA: A1838, 3027/9/1 part 1]
1 United Nations General Assembly, Eighteenth Session, October–December 1963.
2 Dr Subandrio.