Your telegram 233. [1]

1. Press reports here state that Van Kleffens announced at New
York that the Netherlands Government was prepared to propose to
the Republic:

(A) Machinery for the designation of an impartial third state
which would send some of its nationals to report with the widest
publicity on the present situation and whose good offices could be
used to bring about an immediate resumption of discussions; and
(B) That Batavia Career Consuls be instructed to report jointly on
the present situation in Java, Sumatra and Madura.

2. I have not heard that this has yet been put to the Republic or
that they have accepted. On past form, their acceptance is
unlikely.

3. The above reports are accurate, the note you have received is
merely a preliminary step taken in anticipation of Republic
consent.

4. Emphasis on the widest publicity and present circumstances
suggests that this new Dutch step is designed to divert the
attention from issues actually or implicitly before the Security
Council to the present situation, no doubt in the hope of a
finding that the end has justified the means with the possible
result that wo[r]ld opinion would there not be disturbed if they
went ahead and finished the job.