MEDIATION BY BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25243, 23 July 1947, Page 7

MEDIATION BY BRITAIN

DUTCH “TAKE GOOD NOTE OF OFFER”

COMMENT BY ‘‘THE TIMES” (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 22. A Netherlands Foreign Office spokesman said at The Hague that the Netherlands Government had taken good note of the British Government’s offer of mediation.

Emphasising that the Dutch Government had hitherto manifested a commendable determination to avoid a renewal of hostilities in Indonesia, “The Times,” in a leading article, says: “The Dutch Government now apparently holds that the only chance of a satisfactory settlement lies in convincing the. fanatics in Jogjakarta that the Indonesian Republic must carry out honestly undertakings freely accepted. “Certainly the Republic's recent conduct argues Jittie disposition to meet the Dutch views half-way, but it has yet to be seen whether the employment of force, even if it is justified by the grave provocation so long and patiently sustained, will achieve the results desired by the Dutch Government. It may indeed have the opposite effect of strengthening those sections of Indonesian opinion which oppose any accommodation with the Dutch. ‘ All that can be said at present is that an early resumption of peaceful negotiations is in the best interests of o°th sides. If British mediation can xacilitate such a resumption it will be promptly forthcoming, but the stiff and unsympathetic tone of the Foreign Office statement is scarcely Calculated to commend the good offices of Britain either to Dutch or Indonesian opinion.”