501.BC Indonesia/1–1849
Memorandum by the Director of the Office of United Nations Affairs (Rusk)1
Following the meeting of the three of us this morning, I had two telephone conversations with Dr. Jessup.
I told Dr. Jessup that we were interested in the situation in Indonesia and were not looking for a Security Council resolution merely to meet a situation in the Council itself. I told him we thought it would be unfortunate to force a resolidification of Dutch public opinion on Indonesia just when divergencies were beginning to appear. I reminded him that we did not wish to carry the banner and make ourselves solely responsible for whatever action was taken. I said we realized that we could not draw back from our present position but that we believe he should act on the basis of general agreement among at least seven members of the Security Council both as to (a) the content of any resolution which might be introduced and (b) the timing of such a resolution with particular reference to the situation in Indonesia and Dutch public opinion. I emphasized the importance of the attitude of the United Kingdom, stressed that their participation was essential in any further action, and pointed out that the United Kingdom might be able to move the Dutch closer to the general point of view of the Security Council. Finally, I told him that we were not pressing here for a Security Council resolution at this point and believed that there was considerable merit in deferring an actual resolution.
Dr. Jessup said that he was talking during the day with China, Norway, Cuba, Canada, the United Kingdom and Egypt. In view of my remarks he said that he would discuss with each of them not only the content of the resolution but the question of timing, and would specifically raise with General McNaughton the possibility of postponing the meeting now set for Wednesday. He asked, if there should be common agreement among seven members of the Council both as to the content of the resolution and as to its being introduced on Wednesday, whether he was authorized to proceed on a jointly sponsored resolution. I told him I would wish to confirm that point with Messrs. Hickerson and Butterworth.
After checking again with Messrs. Hickerson and Butterworth I informed Dr. Jessup that, with some reluctance, we were prepared to go ahead with a resolution commonly agreed among seven both as to content and timing but that he should not seek such action as our main [Page 169] objective. I passed on to him the information received from Mr. Hickerson that the French Embassy has informed us that France would veto the resolution and urged Dr. Jessup to discuss the resolution with the French Delegation to determine what points were objectionable and whether these points could be resolved by negotiation. I asked him to consider with his colleagues on the Security Council the question of pressing the resolution to the point of a French veto since there was considerable reservation on that matter in the Department. I again emphasized the importance we attach to the attitude of the United Kingdom.
- Addressed to the Directors of the Offices of European Affairs (Hickerson) and of Far Eastern Affairs (Butterworth).↩