INDONESIA APPOINTS M.P. FOR CLAIMED TERRITORY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23365, 22 September 1950, Page 5

INDONESIA APPOINTS M.P. FOR CLAIMED TERRITORY

iiiiittiiiiitHiHiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiftiiiiMiiimtimiiiitiiiiiMiiiniiiitiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiimiitiiiitiHiiiiißiniiiiiiiiiniiiimiiiiimiiiimiM West New Guinea Dispute

(N.Z.P.A.—Reuter— Copyright.)

(10.30 a.m.) JACARTA, Sept. 21. The Indonesian Government tonight decided to appoint a member for Western New Guinea to represent the people of that area in Parliament.

The Government also decided to send a special mission abroad to explain to other nations Indonesia’s claim to Western New Guinea with the aim of gaining their support.

A special Parliamentary committee submitted two resolutions proposing these slops.

The Government has approved as member for Western New Guinea, Mr. Silas Papare, a Papuan who was a member of the joint IndonesianDutch fact-finding committee on the New Guinea issue.

Mr. Mohammad Yamin, an Independent who headed the Indonesian section of the joint fact-finding committee, declared during the debate on the resolutions that if Indonesia failed to obtain Western New Guinea by negotiations with the Dutch “it stands to reason wo must take other measures.”

“Rieh Defence Area”

Most members of the Dutch Parliament were willing to transfer Western New Guinea to Indonesia, said Mr. Yamin. The Dutch had to ask themselves: What do we prefer to keep— New Guinea or the Dutch-Indonesian Union?

Mr Yamin added that history—especially the last war—had _ shown Western New Guinea was a “rich defence area."

The Indonesian Prime Minister. Mr. Mohammad Natsir, declared that the Government would “energetically undertake to settle the Western New Guinea dispute as soon _as possible and in line with our national aspirations.”

“We hope the Netherlands Government will realise that a quick solution can only improve Indonesian-Dutch relations. The Government deems the settlement a question of a major duty." he said.