Draft Cablegram [1] CANBERRA, 2, July 1947

MOST IMMEDIATE

Persistent reports here of Indonesian request to Australia either
to intervene by way of mediation or take matter to Security
Council.

2. You will have already made known [to both parties] [2] our
willingness to assist in any mediation, but it would seem apparent
that both parties must make [any] request. Killearn may be an
acceptable proposition. [Please advise. We would desire to take
initiative in asking him to mediate in personal capacity as
previously.]

3. on the question of Security Council, we would not wish to
reject request, but, at the same time, it would create political
difficulties for us. You should make known immediately to
Republican authorities for their information, and not by way of
advice as to the course they should take, the procedure by which
they themselves could raise the matter with the Security Council.

4. Article 35(2) of Charter states:-

'A State which is not a member of the United Nations may bring to
the attention of the Security Council or of the General Assembly
any dispute to which it is a party if it accepts in advance, for
the purposes of the dispute, the obligations of pacific settlement
provided in the present Charter.'

[We assume Indonesia would be regarded as a State.]

5. The procedure is to send a message to the Secretary-General
requesting that the matter be drawn to the attention of the
Security Council. The Council will then determine the
admissibility of the item to the Agenda. The Council could make
recommendations for the settlement of the dispute only if the
dispute is regarded as a threat to the peace or if both parties
request it to do so.

6. For the information of Republican authorities, the Australian
attitude, if the matter were raised, would be in accordance with
procedure previously followed in all cases, that is, immediately
to seek a full investigation of the facts.

7. Dutch Government at The Hague has been informed by United
Kingdom Government that Australia, amongst others, may wish to
take this matter to the Security Council. [3] United Kingdom
Government used this information as means of bringing pressure to
bear on Dutch. Republican authorities should not be under the
impression that we would necessarily be willing to act on their
request and the best means of communicating this to them is to
give them the above information on the way in which they
themselves could bring the matter before the Security Council.