CANBERRA, 26 January 1949

INDONESIA

NEW DELHI AND SECURITY COUNCIL PROPOSALS

1. Following the Dutch attack on the Republic of Indonesia in
December, which was made in clear defiance of the jurisdiction of
the United Nations Security Council, Australia has taken an active
part in the formulation of measures to put a stop to the fighting
and bring about a peaceful settlement in Indonesia, acting all the
time in accordance with United Nations procedures.

2. At the Conference which has just taken place at New Delhi
Australia was represented by an official delegation whose
principal instruction was that it should do everything to ensure
that the Conference did not take any action contrary to the
purposes or the procedures of the United Nations Charter. The
delegation was free to play a full part in influencing the course
of discussion, but was not in a position to commit the Government
to any Resolution. The delegation's endorsement of the final
conclusions of the Conference was ad referendum.

3. On first arriving in New Delhi the Australian delegation found
that it was received with some reserve by India and other
delegations. It was immediately obvious that the reason for this
was to be found largely in the opposition previously voiced in
Australia, in the press and elsewhere, to Australia's attendance
at the Conference. However, as soon as the delegation made it
clear that it was there to take a full part in the proceedings and
that Indonesia was the only subject for discussion, initial
suspicion broke down and Australia was looked to to give a lead.

The delegation worked in close contact with India, and it is
significant that the four Dominions of Australia, India, Pakistan,
and Ceylon were chosen to draft the final Resolutions. [1] There
is no doubt that Australian representation at the Conference was
in every way desirable and that our delegation played a leading
part in keeping the proceedings strictly in accordance with the
United Nations Charter.

4. The main Resolution agreed to by the Conference takes the form
of a recommendation to the Security Council that-
(a) the Indonesian Republic be restored quickly to the position it
occupied before the Dutch attack, and that Dutch forces be
gradually withdrawn;

(b) all restrictions on Republican overseas trade and
communications be removed;

(c) an Interim Government of Indonesia, exercising full domestic
authority, be set up by March 15;

(d) elections be held by October 1949 and full sovereignty
transferred to the United States of Indonesia by January 1, 1950;

(e) the Security Council to report to the General Assembly on
action taken to solve the Indonesian question.

5. The Security Council in New York is at present considering a
Resolution [2] submitted by the United States. This Resolution
covers most of the points recommended by the New Delhi Conference.

It differs mainly in emphasis, and it is possible that it may be
strengthened in the course of debate in the next few days.

Notwithstanding its shortcomings, it marks a considerable step
forward. Among other things-
(a) it greatly increases the powers of the Good Offices Committee
to recommend terms of settlement and supervise its carrying out;

(Australia is bound to remain a member of this Committee.)
(b) it lays down a time-table for the establishment of a sovereign
United States of Indonesia by the first half of 1950;

(c) it looks toward a settlement in Indonesia on the basis of the
Linggadjati [3] and Renville Agreements [4], and the Cochran
proposals [5], under which the future sovereign United States of
Indonesia would remain joined with the Netherlands under the Dutch
Crown in a Netherlands-Indonesian Union, and under which Dutch
commercial interests in Indonesia would continue to exist with
full protection.

6. The United Kingdom, among other countries, has indicated that
it will support the United States resolution, which appears likely
to be adopted in substantially its present form.