I enclose as Annex I [1], copies of the memoranda delivered to the
United Nations Commission by the Netherlands Delegation in
connection with the recent proposal for a Round Table Conference
at The Hague.

2. If the Dutch in making their proposal had a good case to put
forward-and I am not prepared to say they had-it has certainly
been presented badly.

(1) The Republican leaders are prevented from returning to
Djokjakarta, the one place in Indonesia they wish to go.

(2) The more positive aspects of the proposal have been put
forward in the vaguest possible manner-a manner which is indeed
calculated to arouse distrust. If a sweeping gesture was to be
made it should have been made in a definite form. For example, in
talks with the Commission, Koets and Beel agreed that the U.S.I.

should have full powers over its Army in Indonesia and that Dutch
military interest would be mainly to ensure an agreement on the
position of Dutch troops prior to their evacuation. But if this
were so, why didn't the Dutch make it clear?
(3) Beel said he was looking to the help of the Commission. In
fact, however, Gieben was on his way to Bangka with the invitation
hours before the Commission ever knew of the statement. The
rejection came from the Republican leaders before the Commission
had any possibility of contacting them. In any case I do not
believe the Commission would have been justified in the
circumstances in exerting any pressure on the Republicans to
accept.

3. The Dutch invitation as presented was entirely unacceptable.

This should not prevent us, however, from seeking a more
satisfactory basis for resuming negotiations, providing the
'federalists' do not accept the Dutch invitation and proceed to
The Hague without the Republicans. It has been widely rumoured
that the B.F.O. has accepted in principle and will make this
decision formal this morning.

4. My other enclosures with this letter are an article by Isaacs
on Djokjakarta (Annex II [2]) and notes on information obtained
from Isaacs dealing with impressions in Indonesia over the period
February 4-25, 1949. They are the views of one man, but Isaacs is
an extremely competent observer. His article on Djokjakarta is
confirmed by such information as I have been able to obtain from
other sources and his general impressions are interesting.