AUSTRALIAN MILITARY OBSERVERS IN INDONESIA

You will be aware that agreement has recently been reached between
the Netherlands and the Republic of Indonesia on the terms of a
'cease-fire' order [1] which is intended to put an end to the
intermittent fighting which has proceeded ever since the beginning
of the Netherlands police action last December. The cease-fire
order has now been promulgated, and it will be the task of the
United Nations Commission for Indonesia, in co-operation with the
Netherlands and Republican authorities, to ensure that it is
implemented.

This will impose increasing responsibilities on the corps of
military observers attached to the Commission. The Commission's
senior military advisers have estimated that a total of 63
military observers will be required to meet the Commission's
commitments in policing the implementation of the cease-fire
order. A schedule has been prepared by the Commission under which
the Australian and United States observer contingents are each to
be increased to 22. This involves an addition of 7 officers to the
present Australian observer strength.

The Australian representative on the United Nations Commission for
Indonesia has recommended in the strongest terms that the
Australian Government should agree to provide the additional 7
observers, and his recommendation is fully endorsed by this
Department. It is in our view most important that Australia, which
has played a leading part in the activities of the Commission,
should continue to do so at this crucial stage. Considerations of
Australia's prestige throughout Indonesia are also involved.

I should be grateful if you would take this matter up urgently
with the Departments of Army and Air. The Australian
representative on the Commission has emphasized that the
additional 7 officers are required as soon as possible. He also
recommends that officers selected should if possible have the rank
of Major or above (it is probable that they may be called upon to
act as Chairmen of local cease-fire boards), and that some of the
officers who have already done a tour of duty in Indonesia and
proved their worth as observers might be released for a second
term.