S/PV.247 Security Council

I accept the view expressec1 by the representative of the ,United Kingdom. tbink that 1 made it very clear in my statement that the Security Council must remain the complete master of its own procedure. Therefore, for the purpose of our argument here, the determination of what would be a grave emergency would necessarily rest in the discretion of the Security Council. Furthermore, having regard to the great importance we attach to giving the fuIlest and most comprehensive opportunity to the representative of India to obtain the information we now desire, the Security Couneil of course would take that under consideration, along with any other matters wbich may be befote it. There being no other speakers on this matter, l shall arrange the work of the Security Couneil in accordance with the statement which 1 have made. The Security Council will meet on 17 February to discuss the Indonesian case, and on 18 February, at 2.30 p.m., to take up consideration of the matter related to our discussion today. The meeting rose at 11.45 a.m. TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY- SEVENTH MEETING Held at Lake Success, New York, on Tuesday, 17 February 1948, at 10.30a.m. President: General McNAUGHTON (Canada). Present: The representatives of the following countries: Argentina, Belgium, Canada, China, 1. 2. 1. Adoption of the agenda. 2. The Indonesian question. (a) First interim report to the Security Couneil of the Committee of Good Offices on the In~onesian Question (document S/649).1 19. Adoption of the agenda . 20. The Indonesian question At the invitation of the President, Mr. Frank P. Graham, Chairman of the Committee of Good Offices 'on the Indonesian Question, Mr. Justice Richard C. Kirby, and the other members of the Committee,' and Mr. P. P. Pillai, representative of India; Mr. E. N. van Kleffens, rèpresentative of the Netherlands; Mr. José D. Inglés, representa- tive ofthe Philippines,' and Mr. Ali Sastroamidjojo, representative of the Republic of Indonesia, took their places at the Council table. .

1 would draw the attention of the members ofthe Security Council to the request of the representative of Australia, which is contained in document S/674, to be given an opportunity to participate in the discussion of the Indonesian question pursuant to Article 31 of the Charter of the United Nations. Mr. GRAHAM (Chairman, Committee of Good Offices on the Indonesian Question): 1 happen to be speaking fust today ooly because 1 am the Chairman of the week. We are a team, and my colleagues will follow me, with the President's consent. je As a Westerner returning from the East, 1 wish, in the spirit of the United Nations, to express an appreciation of the contribution of the Eastern civilizations to the diverse yet common heritage of man. Among the peoples of the East developed the great religions of mankind with their emphasis on the spiritual way of life. The life and death of Gandhi remind us, above the noise ofmachines and the confusion of the age, that pure spirit, without armies or mechanized power, is mighty to found a great nation and to give people all over our common earth, inthe hour of his heroic death, a sense of brotherhood that knows no race or region, color or creed. His spirit has joined the universal sainthood of the ages. May the great spiritual communion of the brothers of men and the sons of God, for which he died, be more and more articulated in these United Nations 'to give fulfilment to the noblest aspirations of the human spirit for peace on earth, freedom of the Among the people of Indonesia. is an a1nlost universa.I Islam with a strong substructure of Hinduism and a smallleaven of Christianity, all v 'orking to absorb any remnants of primitive a:nimismin the larger meaning of human life and destiny. The people of the Netherlands, in their legacy of freedom to the West and in their policy oftolerance in the East, have, in co-operation with the people of Indonesia, wisely and humaneiy nourished the tolerance and growth of indigenous ideas, custoros, laws, languages, institutions and religions. We wish to say for the people of the Netherbmds and' the people of Inclonesia that, with the signing of the military truce [document 8/64'9, appendix XI] and with the agreement upon tbe politica.1 principles [document 8/649, appen- dices XIII and VIII] in a new spirit of good will between East and West, only the foundations have been laid for the political settlement. In the more favourable atmosphere of peace and within the framework of democratic principles, the complete structure of the free and independent United States of Indonesia in the new Union of equal partnership with the Netherlands, is yet to b~ constructed. We expres's here our deep apprecîation to the two.parties involved for their co-operation, to the staffs of. the three delegations, to the milita~y, naval and marine observers, aviators and aSSIS- tants, to the officers and crew of the Renville and to the members of the Secretariat of the United Nations for their competence, industry and de- votion to our common task. Many difficulties remain to be overcome by the good faith, good will and hard work of the parties in co-operation with our successors. We are sure the members of this Secmity Council will continue to give all of them their indispensable understanding and sup- port in the fulfilment of both the trUce and the democratic principles subscribed to in the Dame and spirit of mo great peoples. Without the continued co-operation of the parties themselves, without the sympathetic under- standing of the three Member States which com- pose the Committee, without the positive recogni- tion by the Security Council of'the status of the Netherlands and the Republic of Indonesia as parties to the agreement, and without the per- sistent over-all moral influence of the United Nations, the work of the Committee might be of little avail. Since the Committee of Good Offices has been without chart or precedent as an international agency, it might be useful, both for appraising the scope and limitations of the work of such a Com- mittee and for increasing the responsible interest of the United Nations, to view the Indonesian situation in perspective against its geographic, economic, historical, political and spiritual back- ground, in respect to the consideration of this case and the formaI report which has aIready been Indonesia is economically a region of the poten- tial 'production of some of, the most important foods, medicines, minerals~ i"aw materials, and motive power for industrial production and com- mercial transportation on land, sea and in the air. In such a strategic time for world recovery, the sounds on these islands should not be charges and counter-charges of broken faith; bitter dis- trust, killings and destruction, but should be the sound of aIl-out production ofrice, corn, tapioca, fruits, sugat, coffee, vegetables, oils, fats,rubber, hemp, sisal-grass, tin, quinine, petroleum, and other products required for the body and work of man. Real peace and maximum production are oesperately needed now on aIl the continerits and aIl the islands to house and feed the bodies, minds and souls of hungry and fearful people aIl over theearth. Not only is.Indonesia geographically and econo- niically important to the people of the world, but Indonesia is historically interwoven' with the history of Melanesia, Polynesia, Australia,' Asia, Europe and America, ànd is a vital subject in the studyofanthropology, archaeology, and ofancient, medieval and modem times. In Indonesia we have sorne of the earliest relies of man from the mid- Pleisticene Age. In Indonesia were majestic monu- ments, noble shrines and an advanced civilization centuries before Western man disc6verèd America. The empires whether based on Sumatra, such as Atjeh, or based on Java and Sumatra, such as Bantam, had their times of power astride the channels between the seas. Java, the granary for many islands through many ages, was often the central base of the empire of the islands, whether the wise and elaborate Madjapahit or the later Mataramof nostalgic glory. The spice islands of the Indies were a lurlng motive force which helped to cause the discovery of America, the rounding of Africa, a redirection of commerce, and the great Commercial Revolution which helped to bring in a new epoch in history. The islands of the Indies became the eastern pivot upon which, in the Western World, the medieval turned to the modern age. Not only is Indonesia geographically strategie in place and economically and historically signi- ficant in its international position, but the Indo- nesian people are religiously a part of three great religious groups of the world, the Moslem, the Hindu and the Christian. By the overwhelming preponderance ofMohammedans on theseislands, Indonesia has spiritual relations which transcend national boundaries in vast inter-hemispheric connexions with all the parts of a dynamic Islam. furthermore, the events on these islands have repercussions most of all in the Netherlands, but also in Australla, the Philippines, Malaya, China, India, the Near East, Mrica, and in the United Nations, with economic, politiçil1 and moral reverberations around the world. The dynamic interdependent economic frame- work, :tlungaround this earth, which holds up the structure of the modem world,catches up a local high tension, a national depression or a regional conflict anywhere and involves human beings everywhere. There is no isolation from the seas around, the air above, or the continents beyond. The United Nations is organizing arou,nd this earth a corresponding interdependent political framework for conciliation, good offices,. the peaceful settlement of disputes, and the insu1aûen of the high potentials of the dynamic society of our modem world. For the United Nations, Indonesia is not only strategic in place, but the struggle in Indonesia has been also strategicin time. The continuance of this struggle wou1dbe tragic in both time and place..In theaftermath of the most terrible war in history, the .people of the world need spiritual rehabilitation, economic reconstruction, and poli- tical and social advance through peace, freedom and co-operation. Armed conflict in any part of the world is a shock to the nerves, a setback to the hopes of the people in thehuman pilgrimage toward the Mecca of their hopes for a world of international co-operation, for lasting peace and maximum production. In an age ofhunger, starva- tion and sickness, people anywhere need peace and production·everywhere. The nationalist movement in Indonesia has been strategie in a time of need as wide· as the· earth and as high as the aspira- Back of the. present Indonesian movement for self-determina,tion is. the nationalist movement which has b.een gathering momentum for more than forty years against a background of over four centuries of colonialism. The Portuguese perioŒ included the sixteenth century, with a relie today .in Portuguese Timor. The period of the Dutch East India Company inc1uded the seven- teenth and eighteenth centuries. The period of the direct responsibility of the sovereign Government ofthe Netherlands includes the nineteenth century and the twentieth century to the expected terminal date of 1 January 1949. Mter the interlude of the French Revolution and the brief period of English control under Raflles, the founder of Singapore, the century of direct control by the Netherlands divides, according to eminentDutch historians, into three periods: 1830-1870, the Culture Period, with its forced labour, taxes in produce, monopolies, consignments to Holland and state profits; 1870-1890, the Liberal Period, with free enter~ prise, private production and private profits; and atthe turn of the century, the Ethica1 Period, with the increasing Dutch concern for the welfare of the Indonesian people, and for the last two-score years, the nationalist movement of the Indonesian people. Dutch colonial administration in the opinion of many experts on colonial affairs has been one of the best in modern history. The evolutionary transitionfrom centuries of universal- ly characteristic exploitation of the resources of the Indies for and by the commercial interests of the West to the next peIiod of the Dutch government of the Indonesians for the Indonesians led, in the Netherlands and in Indonesia, as characteristic parts of the trend of an age, to the presênt movement for. the· government of the Indonesian peoplê, for the Indonesianpeople and by the Indonesian people. ~ . . . , 'Contribriting also te:)' the Asiatic and Pacifie self-consciousness were the risè· of Japan; the ChîneSe Revolution,; the commercial isolation, at times, of Indonesia, causedby two world wàrs and à world, dèpression; the reorientation of the ècbnomy ('jf Indonesia as an inèreasing part of the' economy of the'Pacific; and the nationalist movements of the' people of India, Pakistan, Burma, and the Philippines, all neighbours of the people of Indonesia.. Two other influences from opposite sources coritrlbuted to thedyuamics of the revolutionary movements in' Indonesia;-1he Russian Revolution which followed the First World, War, and the Japanese conquests, which wer~ a spectacular part of the Second'World War. The first gave a revo- lutionary impulse to sorne elemem"of the labour and· youth movements in Indonesia. The second inèreased d.e Pacifie-Asiatic national self-con- sciousness wlth its slogan, " Asia for the Asiatics". Long pervasive in influence have been the Uni- versity of I.,eyden and other Dutch institutions as centers of knowledge, research and democratic ideas for Indonesia. , AlI these influences, trends, movements and forces, with the momentum of a half-century, carried over jnta the present independence move- ment, the organization of the Republicand other states, .and .have survived "the police action" and the military struggle with aIl their charges and counter-charges, hitterness and recrimination. Under the limitations,Qf a committee of good offices, it is not witbin the function of our Com- inittee to adjudge or arbitrate the opposing claims. Our Committee was not entiusted by the Seèurity Council with powers of judgment orarbitration, but only with the duties ofgoodofficers who can functiononly through the agreement ofthe paities. The Committee, with much tlifficulty, suc- ceeded in arranging a meeting place acceptable to both parties. For several more weeks the Com- mittee soughtto get the parties to undertake a truce .agreement and political. negotiations, with little substantial results in either direction. The chief stumbling block to both the truce and the political negotiations was the deadlock over the location of the military demarcation lines. Instead of reporting tbis failure to the Security Council. the ëommittee chose rather with stubborn hopes to make a new approach to the parties. ) principles which were s:upmitted irrformally to the parties lJ,san integrated and balancedwhole. , , ,The Republic, though expressingdisappoint- ment in what it ccnsidered a rigid truce plan; with ':Ùtatusquo line which for'a tiine would continue to 'îi:J.clude behind Dutch lines fohner Republican areascontairnng millions of'people, accepted the plan.as il whole [docZ!1nent 8/649,'apjJendix VIl] for Its polltical principles'of freedom and demo- cfaè~? 'in~ependence and ~~ion. , ' ' . "'. . : .. ,'l., • , .' ,1 . . ~ ~ :':' çaractère sitions' desquelles ils acceptaient en d'autres im;portantes. ces indiquant inconditionnellement ne :,The.Netherlâ,nd~, heplng the Christm~s' mes- sage on .itscontinüing' jnformaI. basis,made collnter-propos~ls [doeument S/649,appendixVI] which accepted most of the sugge~tions' in the mes,sage, r~jected p~uts, and ll:ccepted _~ther' parts with considerable modificatiôns. The Netherlands ,then Ïn.ade theseproposàls forma~ withindications ~~at, if'n9t' a,ccept~d uncondi~ionany by the Re- publiq, ,it ~ould not be boundby the twelve p'~~tic~l:principles [docume,ni 8/649, appendixV fl!lâajJpendix V, annex .?]. These twelve principles providéd~ a1l1ong other things, for t~e contirtuânce of ,th~ ,assistan,ce. of the Committee"of:.GQod Office.s ~ the'working'ont of thesett1emen~of the p,olifical'dispute ~n ,Java" Sumatra and Madura; for civil.and' PQliticlll' liberties; t~at·there would , he no interferen:ce with the expression of popuIar pÇllitique~ v, entre. b9PS l'élaboration l'écono:mii:, des'transports mbV~meI1ts, looking toward the' formation of states in accordance with the·principles .of.the Linggaddjati Agreement;' that changes in the administration of :èrritory wôuld be made only ",ith the full and free conse'ltof thè population of t):le territory at 'a time of security and freedorn from coercion; that, on' the <signing of' the 'political agreement, there \Vould' bé a graduaI reduction of the armed forces ofboth 'parties; 'thât, on the signing of the truce agreement, there wouldbe resumption of tradê,transportation and communication through the co-operation ofthe parties. that there would be a period of not less, thansix months· nor more than one year after .the signing of the agreement during which uncoerced .and free discussion of vital issues should proceed, and that· at the end {)f such period free elections would be held for self-determination by the people of their political relatiùns to the United :States of Indonesia; for the cùnvening of a Constitutional Conv'entionby democraticprocedure; for serious consideration by one' party of therequest. of, the other party for, an agencyof the United Nations toobserve COnditions between the signing of the agreement and the transfer of sovereignty from the Nèther- lands to the United StatesClf Indonesia' for the independence ·of .the Indonesianpeople'and co- t>peration between the Netherlands and Indo- llesia; for a sovereign State on a federai basis under a constitution tobe arrived at bydemocratic procedures; and'; for the union of the United While deeply appreciative of the fact that the twelve political principles contained many basic provisions for freedom, democracy, independence and. co-operation, the Republic was most pro- foundly concerned that there was no guarantee of international observation between the signing of the agreement and the transfer of sovereignty, that there was rio provision for the representation of the Republic in the Interim government, and that. there was no mention of the Republic by name in any of the twelve principles. Aware oC:the limitations inherent in a committee of good offices, and in the desperate circumstances of the probable breakdown of negotiations, the Committee decided to make still another new approach to the parties. The Committee suggested for the infonnal consideration of the parties six other political principles [document 8/649, ap- pendix VIII] in addition to the twelve. Pending consideration of the six' additional principles by both parties, the Repuhlic was poÎldering the acceptance or rejectiol!. of the status quo military. line and the democratic political principles from which were missing several guarantees of deep concem t<>. the Re- ·public. It soon appeared that the content of the six additional principles, if accepted .Qy. the Netherlands, would be decisive in the .acceptance by the Republic of the combined plans as, in eff'ect thou~ 'not fonnaUy, ~n integrated and balanced whole.· '. . ~ the six. principles were the'three things of deep conceni. to 'the. Republic: specific reference to the Republic of Indo~esia by name as one of the states futhe United States of Indonesia, fa~r representation.of aU states in the interim govern- Jllent,. an~, ifeither party requested, the guarantee ofinternational oDservation in the period between the signing of the political agreement and the transfer of.the recognized historica! sovereignty of the Netherlands to the United States of Indonesia. . ... In addition were two new political principles. One of these was that not sooner than six lllonths .and not later than one year after the signing of the agreement, plebiscites would be held under international observation for the self-determina- tion of "'''e· people of the various territories of J.lva, Sumatra, and Madura as to whether they would form a part of the Republic of Indonesia or another stateof the United States of Indo- nesia. The other basicaUy democratic provision was that the representation in the constitutional conventioLl would be in proportion to population, which should mean that the new United States of Indonesia would not·only be free and indepen- dent but wouldalso 'be democratic in structure, leadership, .function and· services of, for and by the people ofIndonesia. . In consideration of these things, the Nether- lands and the Republic accepted unconditionaUy the truce, the twelve principles and the six prin- ciples. Members of the Committee expressed their personal faith to the representatives of the Netherlands that the' Republic would, with in- cr~sing effectiveness, keep the truce in good faith and goodwill, and furthermore, that a consider- able proportion of the able and dedicated Indo- nesian leaders were in the Republic. They also expressed to the representatives of the Republic their personal faith that the sovereignty of the Netherlands in the interim period would not be used to fix in the new clothes of freedom the old body of colonialism, bl!! rather that the Nether- lands would aet in, goccl faith, and that the Republic would not lose its existing status as one of the two parties to the Indonesian question on the agenda of the Security Council·of the United Nations, and that '~he Security Council. through the Committee of Good Offices, would be able to assist the parties to the present agreement in rcaching an early long-term settlement.. Memhers of the Committee .advised both parties to sub- ordinate ail claims and issues which would soon disappear or beabsorbed in the permanent settle- ment to the three main objectives of. keeping the truce, restoring economic produ~tion and trade thï:ough mutual co-operation, and, not the least important of all, the negotiation of the long- t~~ political settlement. 'The many and complex difficulties of the truce, the .need for sincère 'and patient. care and·follow- through, the· high stakes of mutual co-operation in keeping the truce-all these challenge the lea- ders, the armies and the people to do their per- sistent best, with good faithand goodwill, and to ..send the word everywhere that peace has come anchhat it is now the patriot's dutY to keep the peace and make secure the life andproperty of. aU people. The whole world is looking on to encourage and sustüin the leaders, who cany by day and by night this heavy responsibility· for the1JlReives and the people wh( 'u they now lead l'armistice~ soin: les mutuelle exige ne et monde l'heure veiller la yeux et jour, en conduisent d'espoir lorsqu'ils respirant son atmosphère sereine, unissons tous ~s ~opefully in peace as they formerly led bravely mbattle. ln the new spirit and atmosphere of the truce, let all join hands to transform the objectives from . The humane aspirations of the people of Indo- nesiaand the highest traditions. of the people of', the Netherlands call to them in this fateful, yet hopeful,. hour. The people of Indonesia have a .great tradition of,local self.government rooted in. the.communal village, a persistent body oflaws and customs handed down in their adats J.., a stable tradition of irrigation and agriculture, handicrafts 'and fine arts, and de!lpite the wide illiteracy, a bigh capacity. for languages 'and culture measured by the opportunitiesof the few. General among· these Indonesian people are natural friendliness, innate courtesy" beautiful rhythm, grace and humandigtlity. They now have. a national aspiration for freedom, inde- pendence and co-operation involving some70 D)i1- lion people. For centuries the NetherlandS has'been the home of the humane and fine arts' and the'foun- taIDhead of freedom and international law. Erasmus of Rotterdam was one of the three or fo~r greatest minds and noblest spirits of the age of the Renaissance and the' Reformation. Hugo Grotius and The,Hague have giventhe Netherlands a pre-emïnent position' in maritime and inter- national law,às have Rembrandt in painting, teeùweI$oek in the invention of the microscope, an,d Huyghèns in science and mathematics, whose fundamental workprepared the way fol' the gréat synthesisof Sir Isaac Newton in bis' theory of gravitation.' Holland's sons helped to bring on and 'to advance thescientific revolution which has made over our modem world.Long the haven pf refugees from despotism in Europe, Holland has been the dauntless champion of freedom and tolerance at critical times of tension and conflict. Thepeople ofthe Netherlands, with their stubbom dykes and·generous blood, have written some of the most heroic chapters in the bistory of liberty. A little land but a great people. By the blood of the sons of the Netherlallds, who in the Second World War died for the libera- tion'of Indcnesia, and by the blood ofthe sons of Indonesia, who struggled a.nd· died in theheroic Dùtch underground for the .freedom of the Netherlands; by theproc1am.ations of the beloved In this truce and in these principles, the people of the Netherlands, the people of the Republic and aIl the people of Indonesia have, under God, a rendezvous with a larger destiny of creative co-operation in a time and in a world in need of the oost which these historic peoples cao give together. May they not fail mankind in this despérab hour. Rather may they rise to the responsibility of their power and the opportunity for their greatness to give fresh hopes of food and freedom to the hungry and fearful people of the earth who, looking to the East, would lift their eyes in prayer toward the morning of one world neighbourhood of human brotherhood. Mr. Justice KmBY (Member, Committee of Good Offices on the Indonesian Question): 1 am grateful for the individual opportunity of support- ing and supplementing the written report of my colleagnes ~nd myself. Asa member of t~e Com- mittee ..)f Good Offices, 1 am most aOXIOUS for a speedy, just and permanent settlement of the dispute between the two parties. 1 am very anxious to do or say nothing which might raise, rather than resolve, disputes between them. However, 1 am also most anxious to acquit myse1f of my responsibility to the Security Council by giving the Council the benefit of any views of mine which, in my opinion, will assist it, the Committee of Good Offices and the parties to overcome the many difficulties that lie ahead, and thus help a11 concerned to bring about such a settlement. offices l'anglais): chacun offices oralement moi mission voir les parties intéressées &'river rapidement règlement les faire eux, Cependant, de sécurité personnelles sur la question qui, aider et à For some time 1 have been endeavouring anxiously to reach a conclusion as to whether anxiété 1 specifically should mention certain matters certaines which, in my opinion, at t~s very moment consti- à l'heure actuelle des difficultés tute difficulties and even dangers as far as a speedy pour settlement is concerned. 1 have decided at this J'ai stageto make certain suggestions for the immediate quement future, and to leave other matters of difficulty immédiat to the care and attention of the Committ(',e of offices Good Offices itself, with the belief and hope that l'espoir the Security Council will inform the parties and fera savoirauxpartiesintéresséeset the. Committee that it, the Security COUDcil, elle-même should be kept fully informed so that. it may courant, beable to assist in resolving any serious difficu: _ difficultés ~hat may oceur, e'Ven ifthat difficulty should occur si mthe course of the next few weeks. chaines . Although the unanimous 'teP2rt which has Just been presented by the Committee of Good de Offices to the Security Council is correctly sécurité descnbed as an interim repor~, the mere fact that provisoire, am~eting of theSecurity Council has been called 1s'est ta discuss tms report shows the importance which l'importance My experience with the Committee over a period of some three months has assured me, personally. that the Committee acted wisely at the beginning in adopting the practice of making and publisbing suggestions to the parties, in the political ~phere, only after both parties had requested the Com- mitt~ to do so. However, my experience from the time of the presentation by the Committee, on 3 December 1947 of its plan for a truce [do!."'Ument 8/649, paragraph 22], and onwards from that date, has assured .me just as definitely that the time has now come when the Committee should, after due deliberation and with a full sense ofresponsibility, make and publish suggestions to the parties to help the parties in reaching a political settlement, and to be able to do tbis without necessarily waiting for the parties to request it to do so. It will be remembered that the draft truce plan of 3 December 1947 was unanimously offered to the parties with the recommendation that it should be speedily adopted. This plan was accepted in its entirety by one party, the Republic, and rejected by the other. Some weeks later, the parties had still not reached an agreement for a truce, and the political disr.ussions had not even com- menced. With a full sense of its responsibility and a deep realization of the urgent need for a truce and for the beginning of political discus sions, the Committee unanimousiy adopted plan for a truce and eight principles for acceptance by the parties as a basis for reaching a political settlement. This truce plan and the political principles were sent to the parties by the Committee with what· was described as a " Christmas draft. message addressed infonnally to the parties"; that is, it was made into an entity 1Vbich was not a message but a draft message. It was not pr~ sented formally to the parties, but it was presented informally. However, the Committee made it minute immédiatement que estimait essentielquece message, leplan d'armistice et fussent par cependant, décidé à de eut Commission, la République d'Indonésie a accepté, dans plan d'armistice et les principes partie que, Commission a la décision qu'elle lument par qu'elle les comme nité effective contribuent, In my opinion, no one could read the Christmas draft message of the Committee of Good Offices without being immediately aware that the Com- nrittee urgently thought it essential that that message, the truce plan and the political principles that went with it should be speedily accepted and implemented by the parties. Yet the Committee felt constrained, by its previous decision as to its practice in regard to suggestions to the parties, to make these particular suggestions informaI rather than formaI. The Republic of Indonesia, after hearlng the views of members of the Com- nrittee, accepted, within a few days, the message, the truce plan and the political principles. The other party did not. But the point 1 wish to make is that although, of course, 1 thoroughly endorse the decision of the Committee to act in the way it did in regard to the Christmas draft message -because that decision was thoroughly in accor- dance with it~ prior practice-on the other hand, 1 am quite certain that the experience gained by the Committee itself over its months in Indonesia on this task, the acceptance by the parties of the eighteen political principles as an agreed basis for discussion, and the atmosphere of tranquillity which should be ensured by the effective imple- mentation of the trust agreement, have all, at this present stage, combined to create a condition in which the Committee should change its previous practice. 1 feel that from now on, the Committee should malice and publish its suggestions to the parties without waiting necessarily for both parties to invite it to do so. ti.ùD~ pratique 1., suggestions sans invitée 1 feel that the parties themselves Will fully realize the impetus such a changed practice will give to the prospect.s of a real settlement, and 1 eamestly hope that they will welcome this suggestion from me as a member of the Com- mittee. It may be that the Security Council will consider whether it would not, by endorsing this view, .greatly assist the parties in their striving for a settlement. But in any case, believing' as 1 do that the Committee should, from now on, act in the changed manner suggested, it would -and, on refiection, 1 feel sure of t1ùs-have been unfair not to have mentioned it to the Security Council. If the Committee, from now on, changes its previous practice just· after reporting to the SecUrity Council, then it willlay itself open to the charge, in my· belief, of suppressing its intention before the Security Council. parfaitement qu'un pas vue qu'elles que de examiner ne par tous doit m'aurait sûr de Commission Conseil méthode, t-il, sécurité. As'a member of the Committee, 1 am naturally mo.stpleased that the. Committee was able to assist the parties to such an extent that they have bien ait de d'appliquer heureux l'armistice,ont huit aboutir· ~greed on a truce, which is in coùrseof successful unplementation. 1 am naturally just aspléased that, simultaneously with the agreeillent for the tru~e!the parties were able to agree on the eighteen political principles toassist them towards a settlement. As· a member of the Committee, My knowledge is that the representatives of the Republic were repeatedty and correctly told by me, as weIl as by other members of the Com- mittee, that the truce was a provisional measure only; and that, as a provisional measure, it was "without prejudice to. the rights, c1aims, or position of the parties concerned ". These words, of course, are the words of Article 40 of the Charter of the· United Nations, and justice demands that these words shall not be dead but shall live. 1, as a member of the Committee of Good ..Offices, feel entitled to say that it is the responsibility not only of the Committee of Good Offices but of this Securitj Council to see that those words do ·live. By their continued and active interest in the Indonesian question, the Security Council and the Committee of Good Offices can help both partiesto ensure that speedy, permanent and just settlement removes any temporarydisadvantage to either or both of the parties. It is my bellef and hope that the Netherlands Govemment has shown, by its acceptance of fundamental poli~ical principles, that it, for its part, .recognizes the necessity for a speedy and permanentpolitical settlement in place of the provisional measures so far agreed upon. The accepted political principles contain provisioL~ for the holding of plebiscites not less than six months nor more than one year after the signing of the political agreement. This provision for plebiscites, important in itself, becomes doubly .important when it is realized that each party has undertaken that it will guarantee aIl times freedom of assembly, speech and publi- cation. Moreover, the parties can take immediate aq.vantage of the Committee's offer, made at the very. meeting at which the truce agreement was signed and the political principles accepted, inform. and to keep informed aU the lridonesian peoples on aUmatters relating to a favourable settlement ofthe Indonesian question. This offer wasso to inform the peoples of Indonesia by available means, such as. radio, newspapers and signed~ the taking of steps to create a properly tarisée. informed public for the proper holding of the n'attendra, ultimate plebiscites. soit pour opinion politique convenablement informée conditions viendront parties reconnaissent l'aide donnée antérieurement par où continueront non soit États le devoir, de qui officielle plus faire The political principles aIso contain a recogni- tion by the parties of the past assistance of the Committee of Good Offices, a recognition expressed in the provisions which make available a continuation of the assistance of the Committee, not only until a politicaI agreement has been reached, but until the United States of Indonesia has come into being. 1 hope that the Security Council will play its part in making the assistance ofthe Committee thus available to the parties, the assistance, 1 hope, of a Committee which can act formally rather than info~ally, and with greater initiative than the past has allowed. l'anglais): demandé maintenant du et obtenus dront souvent nement, que sivement est la d'occupation, permettra munauté par-dessus chaèun opinions. grâce à mission observatèurs limites Conseil 8/597],que représente l'àccord relatif à fournit l'occasioii,aussi importante que bienvenue, de vivant posant, vateurs de à Mr. VAN KLEFFENS (The Netherlands): It is with great pleasure. that 1 have asked permission of the President to speak at this time, now that the Security Councn is in possession of the report of the Committee of Good Offices and the time ha~ come for a proper assessment of the results obtained by its labours. As the membt'irs of the Security Council will remember, in paFit meetings 1 have often expressed the opinion of my Government that the fust prerequisite for. progressive development in Indonesia was the restoration of safety and peacefulconditions which, after all these years of 'war, occupation, turmoil.and destruction, willenable the people to build up anew. a com- munity free frlJm fear and want, a community, above all, in which everyone win be free to express his fee:lings and opinions. . There is no doubt thaJ:, together with the win of.·the parties to agree, the assiduous efforts of the. Committf:e of Good Offices, its Secretariat aM .the miliftary observers, all of them acting within the liJnits set in the resolutions adopted by .the Security Council which determine the Committee's status [documents 8/525 II, 8/574, 8/597] have been largely instrumental in obtaining the.solution now embodiedin the truce agreement. This agreement. provides an important· and grati- fying opportunity for the restoration .of real peace to millions of Indonesians within the Republic, assuming· as a matter of course that, with the ansistance of. the observers of the Com- !IDttee, it willbe implemented according to ,both lts letter and its spirit. Th~ Ü1f:ormation which my Government has recçived in this respect· gives cause for sober °Ptimïsm which is· warmly welcomed by us all. On the oltherhand'--'-and I.do no~ want tms. to be understood as an over-cautious or pessimistic observation-it is necessary. to realize that, in spite of the bf:st of goodwill, it ,will take some time before allltensîon will have died down in Java and ~matra. Even after the signïng ofthis agreement, lt seems wiser, taking' 'into aecuunt ordinary Pays-Bas a modéré faction. l'on miste - la quelque temps à l'accord, With the permission of ~he President, l must ask Mr. Justice Kirby to allow me, for the record, to correct a statement he made to the effect-if l understood him correctly-that the Netherlands did not accept the fust draft of the truce. This statement may create the impression that we rejected that draft. l do not want any impression to take root to the effect that we lacked in co-ope- ration. The minutes of the Committee bear out what really happened, which· was as follows. On 3 December the representatives of the Committee of Good .Offices presented to both sides a plan for achieving a speedy and effective truce. Accord- ing to the record of the meeting of 9 December [document S/649, paragraph 23] these represen- tatives asked the Netnerlands delegation whether it accepted the plan as a working basis, and received an affirmative reply.The Netherlands delegation, not contenting itself with mt:rely accepting the Committee's proposaIs 'at once as a working' basis, gave them serious study, and on 12 December [document 8/649, paragraph 24] asked for certain explanations on points which were not clear. The Netherlands delegation, having received theseobservations and clarifi- cations, requested that a meetingbe held, which took place on 18 December [document S/649, paragraph 26]. In the course of that meeting, the Republican delegation stated that the Republican Government, tCQ,. hadaccepted the plan only. asa working document.· This statement is only for the. record, but there must be absolutelY'no"ambiguity on such things, because they have a bearing on the general behavior ofmy Gcvernment in this matter. However that may be,so far as·the Netherlands Government is concerned, it is prepared to let bygones be bygones and, together with the Republic, to work in a generous and broad- minded spirit with a view to establishing those peaceful conditions which alone will bring political progress and economic rehabilitation. As Her Majesty the Queen has said in her recent broadcast on 3 February, which marked the consummation and' fulfilment of a policy ini- tiated in 1901: " Colonialism IS dead. We do not disown our past and the great achievementsof bygone days, but a nation must be strong enough to make a new beginning. We will be strong enough." The Netherlands Government looks forward to the .day when a sovereign and democratic federation .' of Indonesia, comprising, with the Republic, aIl the other constituent states, .will be,able, infree and voluntary association with the Netherlands, to carry out the task to which its position and the abilitie& of its peoples entitle and will take itsrightful'place among the· United Nations. On the other hand, it would be unreal- ist;cnot to recognize that the political discussions soverei~ Kingdom of the Netherlands and the il equaUy free an<;l sovereigri United States of Indo- libre nesia has to be defined. . ment donésie; Members of the Co~ncil will agree that this i8 an it;npressive programme that will tax to the représente utmost the constructive faculties of the Nether- exigera lands and of Indonesia in the political field. But un we are determined to succeed. In any case, we of Mais the Netherlands are prepared to enter into these les discussions in a spirit of great goodwill and with négociations c'onfidence in the futJlI'e. avec There is yet another problem 1 should like to mention in this comiexion. It was clearly forrou- ment signaler. lâted in appendix· VI of the report of the Com- nexe mittee of Good Offices as follows: . offices " The Netherlands Government is not primarily interested in the way Indonesia shall be built up as que a federation; this has to be decided in the fust Gouvernement place by the population itself, But it is. vitally en concerned in the guarantees for a free decision and Mais the elimination of coercion by violence or threat, des this being. essential for the stability of the future soit United States of Indonesia. They must stress that la the inhabitarits of every area have the fundamental des -fhturs right to demand protection against such coercion sur and to decide themselves about the status of their le. territory within the framework of the United contre States of Indonesia." mêlnes des That is the position. The Netherlands has not, and. has never had, any intention of fomenting et new pqlitical entities, but neitherdoes it wish to création stifie popular movements refiecting what lives in mais the mind of the people. des . With regard to what Mr. Justice Kirby has Just said concerning the possible change in pro- cedure of the Committee of Good Offices, 1 want to formulate a reservation.J'hereservation is no more than this:· So long as the Committee does not change its character as a committeeof ~ood offices, the Committee can of course vary entendu,· lts procedure· as, in the circumstances, seems circonstances eXpedient, but the Committee has noauthority On behalf of the Netherlands Government and aU those in Indonesia who live to see this new departure for a better future, 1 again express my smcere appreciation for the important and gratifying results achieved by the hard work, understanding and patience of the Committee of Good Offices and the zeal of the members of its staff, and 1 express the hope that the Committee, acting within its proper sphere, will continue to render, upon request of the parties, aU such aid as May be helpful for a speedy and successful· outcomeof the politieal discussions.

If there is no objectiont the meeting will now rise and the Council will meet again this aftemoon at 2.30.' . The meeting rose at 1 p.m. • TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY.. EIGHTH MEETING Heldat Lake Success, New York, on Tuesday; 17 February 1948, at 2.30 p.m. P1'esident: General McNAUGHTON (Canada). Present: The representatives of the following countries: Argentina, Belgi,um, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Syria, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of So"iet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom, United States of Ameril;a. 21. Continuation of the discussion of the Indonesian question At the invitation of the President, Mr. Frank P. Gr(lham, Chairman of !11;e Committee of Good Offices on the Indonesia~ i":IuL'Qn, andthe members of #Je Committee,' and };-,,<. l', ?'. FilittJ. represen- tative .of [ndia; Mr..E. fI, '~':1n Klej/e:g/, represen- tative of the 1V~therlanJs,' ~~{H" .J .••• ; D. Inglés, representative ~f tbePhilippines; Ai!..'. Ali sastroa: