Subandrio Calls For Use Of Force In Dispute

Press, Volume C, Issue 29702, 21 December 1961, Page 18

Subandrio Calls For Use Of Force In Dispute

(N-Z-P-A.-Reuter— Copyright) JAKARTA, December 20. The Indonesian Foreign Minister (Dr. Subandrio) last night that there was only one answer to the West INew Guinea question and that was for Indonesia to take Dutch-held territory “with all the power and means at our disposal.

Dr. Subandrio was addressing Parliament after President Soekarno’s delivery of his “command on the liberation of West Irian.” The President ordered the armed forces to be ready for action and called for the toiling of the establishment of a self-governing State in West New Guinea, and demanded the hoisting of the Indonesian flag in New Guinea and readiness for general mobilisation. U.S. Criticised Dr. Subandrio attacked the United States for advising Holland to withdraw its motion for granting self-de-termination to West New Guinea from the United Nations General Assembly. “This means the United States prevented Dutch defeat in the world forum,” Dr. Subandrio said. The United States apparently thought the solution layin the Dutch merely leaving the territory. “This cannot be accepted by Indonesia. Our stand is that the only solution is for the Dutch to leave the territory and that the territory be transferred to Indonesia. “Therefore the main thing now is for us to secure control of that territory by all means. “The world must understand this. Our relations with foreign countries are not based on material benefit or material advantage, nor on old conventual views, but on whether they now support our revolution.” Dr. Subandrio continued: “Some countries have even advised us not to use force in settling the West New Guinea issue. They ignore the fact that the Dutch are using force to oppress the people They look on us as a threat if we use force to conclude our revolution.” Indonesia Warned Britain, Australia, and the United States have sent a tough warning to President Soekarno against his projected attempt to take over West New Guinea, the “Evening Standard” reported, according to a London cablegram It said the three Powers consulted urgently with Holland yesterday. A Foreign Office spokesman in London declined to comment on whether Britain had

made any approaches or appeals to either Holland or Indonesia, Reuter said. He said Britain was constantly in touch with both Governments on the matter. The Foreign Office spokesman said that the'West New Guinea issue should not be settled by force. Later, the spokesman, answ-ering questions at his daily press conference, recalled that the British Deputy Foreign Secretary (Mr Heath) had told the House of Commons Britain’s view of the West New Guinea question was that "in no case should force be used.” The spokesman also recalled that Mr Heath had said Britain had given no undertaking to the Dutch to support them militarily. U.S. Comment In Washington, the State Department spokesman (Mr Lincoln White), asked to comment on the “Evening Standard” report, said he knew of no such joint approach, Reuter said. But he added that the United States had been in touch with both the Dutch and Indonesian Governments for a considerable time. “The essence of our position is that we deplore the use of force as an instrument in settling international disputes.” Mr White said. “We continue to believe that this dispute can be settled peacefully and in a way acceptable to Indonesia and the Netherlands. “Certainly it is imperative that the parties directly concerned as well as others who have close interests make every effort to find an amicable solution.” Ambassadors Call The Department announced that the Indonesian Ambassador (Dr. Zairin Zain) and the Dutch Ambassador (Dr. J. H. van Roijen) called at the State Department late yesterday for meetings with senior Department officials.

Dr. Zain met the Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs (Mr George McGhee), and Dr. van Roijen called on the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Mr Averell Harriman). Both Ambassadors called at their own request. Wher he reached the Department, Dr. Zain told reporters that he hoped that the United States would mediate in the dispute before any armed action was taken. But he added that his Government had not requested any mediation by the United States. The "Evening Standard” said yesterday there was no doubt that Australia’s acute alarm at the new aggression threat in the Far East was balanced by determination in Whitehall to do everything possible to prevent fighting. In The Hague, a Foreign Ministry spokesman reiterated Dutch willingness to seek a basis for negotiations over the future of the territory, Reuter said.