READY TO CONFER

Evening Star, Issue 25617, 18 October 1945, Page 5

READY TO CONFER

DUTCH GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE ALLIES' ACTIONS CRITICISED AMSTERDAM. October 17. The Dutch Government, even at this stage, is ready to confer with the Indonesian leaders and is prepared to work in co-operation with Indonesian nationalism within the bounds of the Empire, but flatly refuses to deal with Dr Soekarno's Government, because it identified itself completely with the Japanese regime and is completely, hostile to the Netherlands. This is the substance of a statement made, in the Lower House by tho Dutch Minister of Overseas Territories, Dr J. H. A. Logemanu, defining the Netherlands Government's attitude. Dr Logemann said the Netherlands were unable to occupy anß administer the East Indies directly after th& Japanese capitulation because in the plans of

the Allied Combined Chiefs of. Staff - there was barely room for the shipping of Dutch troops to Australia for training. ,■-.'■

Pointing out that the re-estahlish-ment of lawful rule and the disarming of the Japanese in the East Indies was also the duty of the Allies, Dr Logemann said: "It is a serious thing that we, who in this war gave all we could, must say to our sorrow that we did not find our allies ready, and they only hesitantly prepared, for this common duty. We must also remark how dangerous it was to publicise the intention of the occupying force to limit itself to the occupation of Batavia and Sourabaya, thereby giving the Soflkarno regime a feeling of security in the rest of Java. Danger to *Dutch lives forced the British to remove this limitation, but the announcement alreadv has had evil effects."

Dr Logemann said that the Dutch would not deny that there was a problem of Indonesian nationalism in the Netherlands Empire, but the Dutch were prepared and ready to solve the problem along the road of mutual deliberation, understanding, and respect.