Australian Government - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Advancing the interests of Australia and Australians internationally

Australian Government - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Advancing the interests of Australia and Australians internationally

310 Officer to Burton

Cablegram Hague 152 THE HAGUE, 2 September 1947, 12.20 p.m.

PERSONAL

Your telegram 115. [1] I heartily agree with your paragraph 1.

Please convey my good wishes for a successful trip to the Minister.

2. I am, however, pessimistic about securing Dutch support, though I will do my best. Perhaps my telegrams from 134 [2] on, and the Department despatches 21 [3] on have been too restrained and you do not realise the strength of feeling here. It is one of tough self-righteous indignation that any one and especially a white neighbour and an ex-ally should take action which they regard as hostile. This feeling is so strong that I doubt whether the Government would dare to support an Australian candidate.

3. I will take the first suitable opportunity to talk on lines of your paragraph 3. Our personal relations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remain good but fear that it will be some time before our official relations are other than chilly.

4. Meanwhile every little trivial incident such as that regarding Eaton (my telegram 151 [4], your telegram 116 [5]) tends to delay progress.

1 Document 307.

2 Document 267.

3 Not printed.

4 Dispatched on 1 September, it reported that Van Vredenburch had made informal representations regarding Eaton and that officer had undertaken to ensure that Eaton would not attempt to discharge his duties (i.e. as Australia's representative on the Consular Commission) until the Netherlands Government had recognised his standing as Consul-General.

5 Dispatched on 1 September, it advised that the Dutch authorities in Batavia would not agree to Eaton visiting Djokjakarta (see Document 306) and asked the Legation in The Hague to seek an assurance that there would be 'absolutely no restrictions' on Eaton's enquiries.

[AA:A3195, 1947, 1.17621]

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