NEW INDONESIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26470, 26 May 1947, Page 4

NEW INDONESIA

DIFFERENCES SETTLED VAST ECONOMIC POTENTIAL LORD KILLEARN’S IMPRESSIONS “If the new agreement in Indonesia is successful in its operation, and I think it will be, it will be a great addition to world peace and stability,” said Lord Killearn, who was appointed last year as special commissioner in South-East Asia for the British Government, and who was asked to preside at the meetings between the Dutch and Indonesian representatives as the representative of Great Britain, in an interview with the Daily Times last night. * The talks between the moderates of The Hague and the Indonesians were extraordinarily sensible and friendly, and were a good example of what can be achieved by disagreeing factions,” Lord Killearn added. “Both sides set themselves out to make the agreement work, and both realise what goodwill means after bickering for so long.” It was a great compliment to Great Britain that he should have been asked to preside at the meetings he said.

“ The Netherlands East Indies, with their rich areas and huge hard-working

population, have a highly important contribute to make to the natural wealth of rhe world. With this new understanding among the people it should become available again within a short period,” he continued. “ The Indonesians and the Dutch realise that they must set up working committees on economic and other matters and get down to practical facts. The Indonesians know that they must lean cn the capable Dutch for technical stability.

“ More and more the whole of SouthEast Asia must look southward in every way,” Lord Killearn concluded. “ Mistakes are being avoided in this new period of post-war reconstruction, and joint planning could be adopted in preference to independent movements under which everyone suffers.”