Your telegrams 388 [1], 389. [2]

Indonesia
Owing to Noel Baker's visit to New York and Bevin's absence on
holiday, I only got an appointment with Bevin on Saturday
afternoon 10th January.

2. I made the various points in your telegram adding that it would
be scandalous if the Dutch as a result of their so-called 'Police
action' put the Indonesians in a worse position than under the
Lingajadi Agreement.

3. Bevin paid tributes to Kirby's work and said that according to
his information
(i) Committee of Good Offices had taken a real lead in the past
week.

(ii) Dutch were again trying to weaken it by qualifications and
conditions.

He had issued instructions that the Dutch were to be told they
must not hold up a settlement by Committee by these vague
qualifications.

4. Bevin agreed with your concern for the future of South East
Asia and said he had frequently put this point of view to the
Dutch who had accused him of being worried unduly by problems of
food which South East Asia could supply. He blamed the Dutch for
breaking a line of countries from Australia to China in which
relations between Western countries and nationalist movements
could be satisfactory. He said that the Dutch were most foolish
not to accept the position reached in the Lingajadi Agreement.

5. I put frankly to Bevin the point about Grey's advice to the
Republicans. Bevin said he had in fact authorised Grey to advise
the Republicans that they should accept the Committee's proposals
as even if they appeared to favour the Dutch the Indonesian
movement was bound to win however the Dutch tried to restrict
their natural development. But he had not advised capitulation to
the Dutch.