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Historical documents

433 Ball to Burton

Cablegram 2 SINGAPORE [1], 4 December 1945

SECRET

I feel it undesirable to have two Political Representatives with
S.E.A.C. dealing with Netherlands East Indies situation. Proud's
accreditation to Supreme Commander gives him exclusive or
paramount right to join Java policy conversations here. This
automatically relegates me to subordinate and redundant position
vis-a-vis British and destroys whatever possibility there may have
been of my exercising influence. [2]

1 Ball departed Batavia at the beginning of December leaving Plumb
and one cypher assistant for the time being. With the move of HQ
SACSEA from Colombo to Singapore, further negotiations on the
N.E.I. would be conducted there rather than in Java as previously.

2 Proud remained as the Australian Political Representative in
Singapore, and the mission to Java was wound up.


[AA : A5954, BOX 2273]
Last Updated: 11 September 2013
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