'The Committee has received the communication from the Republic of
Indonesia for-warded by Vice-Premier Gani on October 23rd, 1947.

The Committee notes with pleasure that the Government of Indonesia
are prepared to co-operate and are anxious to meet with the
Committee as soon as possible. The Committee also notes the
difficulties of communication.

To avoid further difficulties with communications and in order to
meet at the earliest possible time, the Committee proposes, if it
is agreeable to the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, to
confer with the Government of the Republic [at] Djokjakarta or at
any other convenient place, to arrange for a neutral place or
places agreeable to both parties at which the substantive
discussions are later to be held.

The Committee also notes that the Government of the Republic
prefer that discussions be held outside Indonesia and that they
agree that the discussions be held anywhere else providing they
are not held in Dutch-occupied territory. The Committee wishes to
make clear that the only purpose of suggesting a conference in
Djokjakarta is to determine a neutral or mutually agreeable place
or places at which the substantive discussions are to be held, the
arrangements for such discussions, and other preliminary matters.

In this way, the substantive discussions may be begun with the
least possible delay. The Committee repeats that it is prepared to
hold the substantive discussions at any place agreeable to both
parties.

Believing that avoidance of unnecessary delay is to the ultimate
benefit of both parties, the Committee, pending receipt of a reply
from the Government of the Republic, made arrangements to proceed
to Batavia in order that it might be in a convenient position to
arrange to confer with each party, in turn, concerning these
essential preliminaries. The Committee will arrive at Batavia on
Monday October 27th, prepared either to confer with the
Netherlands Government concerning these preliminaries or to
proceed first to Djokjakarta for such a conference with the
Government of the Republic. The Committee will establish
communications with the Government of the Republic as soon as
possible upon the Committee's arrival in Batavia.

Mr. Justice Richard Kirby,
Chairman, Committee of Good Offices,
United Nations Security Council.' ENDS.

2. Message is being transmitted in all short wave broadcasts to
Indonesia from Melbourne tonight and tomorrow. Committee would
like if possible to receive Republican Government's
acknowledgement before its departure from Sydney tomorrow evening.

Please do all you can to ensure that Republic Government receives
messages. Short wave monitoring service in Melbourne will be
listening for any reply from Djokjakarta Radio.

You should also get in touch with Gani and explain position to
him, emphasising that Committee desires him to understand that it
regards Batavia merely as a convenient staging point in its
itinerary and is in no sense attempting to influence choice of
venue for substantive discussions. Committee desires only to begin
its task with least possible delay.

[AA:A1838/283, 403/3/1/1, xii]

1 See Document 384, note 1.