COMMONWEALTH POLICY

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25247, 28 July 1947, Page 7

COMMONWEALTH POLICY

MR MENZIES URGES CLARIFICATION (Rec. 7 pjn.) MELBOURNE, July 26. An appeal to the Federal Government to clarify its position about the conflict in Indonesia was made by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr R. G. Menzies) to-day. He said that up to date, as a result of a policy of inactivity, the impression had been created that Australia was on the side of the Republicans and desired the Dutch to be pushed out of the Netherlands East Indies.

“If this is the policy of the Chifley Government, let it expressly say so,” he said. For two years the Government had allowed a handful of Communists on the waterfront to collaborate with elements in Java, some of whom were no doubt authentically seeking independence, but some were clearly Japanese collaborators during the war. The Government should announce a clear policy and stand firmly by it. The “Sydney Morning Herald” says it is believed that the Australian Government has instructed its ConsulGeneral in Batavia (Mr B. C. Ballard) to decline the Indonesian request that he should represent the Indonesian Republic’s diplomatic interests with neutral countries. The Government is expected to reply that the Indonesian Republic had no diplomatic representation in Batavia before the present conflict started. There would, therefore, be no interest which the Australian representative could take over. At the sarrffi time, according to authoritative sources, Australia is still prepared to offer its good offices to help bring about a settlement of the conflict with the Dutch. The de facto authority of the Indonesian Republic is still recognised by Australia.