Canberra, 30 October 1964
1055. Secret Immediate
Indonesian Landing: Security Council Action
Your telegram No. 1185.1
Reference your paragraph 6, our view is that for the present an immediate message to the President of the Security Council would meet the case. We gather from your paragraph 4 that this is already in train although Hay had no news as of late on 29th October that the Malaysian mission had taken action to this effect. Hay has suggested that a telegram might be sent in first instance, followed by a pungent letter.
2. We agree that possibility might be kept open of request for meeting if further landings develop, but news accounts present the incursion as a fiasco. It might, therefore, be more damaging to Indonesian prestige to belittle it rather than to call Indonesia before the Security Council. Moreover, it seems to be undesirable to risk any defections from the 9 to 2 vote2 as might occur if a meeting were called for what might seem a minor incident
[NAA: A1838, 3027/9/1 part 5]
1 Document 221.
2 See footnote 2, Document 209.