ARMISTICE IN JAVA

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25394, 17 January 1948, Page 7

ARMISTICE IN JAVA

Indonesians And Dutch

SIGNATURE LIKELY TO-DAY LONDON, January 15. The Netherlands Prime Minister (Dr. Louis Beel) told the Second Chamber of the States-General that the Dutch and Indonesian Republicans in Java will “very probably” sign an armistice on Saturday, states Reuter’s correspondent at The Hague. From Batavia it is reported from Dutch sources that the Dutch Lieu-tenant-Governor (Dr. van Mook) was informed to-day that the Indonesian Republic accepted the latest proposals for a truce and agreed to certain political principles for a substantive settlement. The Sjarifuddin Cabinet has been deliberating since Sunday on the proposals, and members of the Republican delegation to the 11-weeks-old ceasefire talks, together with (military and other advisers to the Security Council Good Offices Committee, returned to Batavia from Jogjakarta by aeroplane to-day. They refused to confirm or deny reports of the acceptance of the proposals. The interim cease-fire is expected to result in the immediate issue of a “stand fast” order by Dutch and Republican Army commanders, ending the two years and five months of intermittent fighting. The principal political principle said to be agreed upon provides for eventual plebiscites in the disputed areas of Java, Sumatra and Madura. After reports that the proposals had been accepted, the Jogjakarta radio announced the withdrawal of the Islamic party, the Musjumi, from the Sjarifuddin Cabinet. The Dutch News Agency states that the Vice-Premier and the Minister of the Interior would resign as a result of the party’s withdrawal.