Your telegrams 215 and 216. [1]

You will have reports of broadcasts of Sjarifoeddin and Soekarno
[2] ordering cessation of hostilities. The first point of
Secretary-General's [3] resolution has thus been complied with and
the other two remain for action.

2. This interim period until the two parties and their go-betweens
or arbitrators get together is as dangerous as any period so far
and ought to be kept as short as possible.

3. Cessation of hostilities was no doubt the necessary first step
but it would be an overstatement to regard it as creating a
position which can be held for more than the briefest time. It
bears some resemblance to the truce of October, 1946, which was at
best limited success but lacks even the few stabilising elements
which that situation possessed-actual contact between parties,
presence of a third party, ascertainable demarcation lines (which
even so took time to determine). In other directions the feeling
is worse now and Van Mook's statement [4] that the Dutch will
restore and maintain law and order with all means at their
disposal may well mean that they will mop up, purge and
consolidate the areas they consider they have taken over. If there
are Republican pockets behind the front of the Dutch positions
incidents will occur. An unconfirmed Republican report states that
the Dutch took over Gumbong in the middle of Java yesterday. If
they did so even peacefully, it is a likely source of dispute.

Inasmuch as there was no solid Republic defence, they will
probably make no solid attacks, but isolated breaches of cease
fire would not be unexpected.

4. There is, so far, no agreement between parties on first
concrete step towards resumption of negotiations. Sjarifoeddin
announced yesterday that the Republic would accept only
arbitration by an international commission appointed by U.N.O. and
no mediation. See also his reply to Secretary-General [5] given in
my immediately following telegram. [6] Dutch authorities are
apparently awaiting clarification of the American offer which they
have accepted.

5. The American Consul-General this morning verbally conveyed the
American offer to Gani and added that if the Republican Government
accepted it, the United States would send a Commission (presumably
American) to Indonesia. Gani answered that he would transmit
message to Djokjakarta. This he is doing via Singapore. [7] 6. I
spoke to Gani and Tamzil along the lines of your telegram 217 [8]
and they appeared receptive, but it should be emphasised that
neither they nor I have communication with Djokjakarta and that is
where Republican decisions are being made.