REPORT ON RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN INDONESIA

The Committee has discussed the Security Council's resolutions.

2. With regard to the Canadian resolution, I suggested the
Committee should report at least once a month. This was opposed,
however, by Herremans, who argued the Committee should not bind
itself to regular reports, and it will clearly be necessary to
maintain pressure in the Committee to see that the resolution is
carried out and that the Committee keeps the Council fully
informed of developments.

3. Already some use has been made of the resolution. Informally it
has been brought to the attention of the Netherlands that unless
they appoint their representatives to the main committees
immediately, so that the latter can get down to work next week,
the Good Offices Committee will be obliged to report their failure
to the Security Council.

4. On Madura and West Java, the Committee will submit a series of
questions on political developments. in the case of West Java
questions have already been referred to the parties with a request
that answers be given within three days. [1] The parties have also
been requested to submit for comment both the questions and the
answers to the West Java Conference now in session at Bandoeng,
and informed that the Committee wishes to attend the Conference as
observers when these questions are being considered. Copies of the
Committee's letters and of the first series of questions are
attached. [2] Both the Belgian and the United States delegations
oppose the Committee sending representatives to Bandoeng at once
to attend and report on the West Java Conference.

5. The Netherlands' reaction to the Committee's letter has been
explosive. Riphagen, who is leading the Netherlands Delegation in
the absence of Van Vredenburch, called on Herremans, who is
chairman of the week, to explain that Van Mook was extremely angry
at the way in which the request had been made. He informed
Herremans that the Netherlands would not agree to the Committee's
questions and the parties' answers being submitted to the
Conference, nor to the Committee attending such a discussion by
the Conference at Bandoeng. I have come to regard such an
explosive reaction as inevitable if the Dutch are confronted with
positive action by the Committee.

6. informal discussions are continuing, but if the Netherlands
persist in their present policy it will be up to the Committee to
report factually to the Security Council.

7. It is understood that Van Mook has sent an invitation to Hatta
to participate in informal talks. The basis of the talks would be
along the lines set out in my K. 80 and K. 85. [3] There is
general agreement in Republican circles that their response should
be along the lines of paragraphs 4 and 5 of my K. 80, with the
additional provision suggested by Kirby that the Republican
representatives be chosen by the Republic.