WESTERN NEW GUINEA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27569, 11 December 1950, Page 5

WESTERN NEW GUINEA

Dutch Reject Indonesian Compromise FUTURE OF TERRITORY NZPA —Reuter-»?-Copyright THE HAGUE, Dec. 8. The Dutch delegation to the conference with Indonesia on the future of Western New Guinea today rejected the Indonesian compromise proposal for the territory’s status, according to a reliable source. The proposal was for the immediate transfer of the legal sovereignty of Western NeW Guinea to Indonesia, with the Administration to remain in Dutch hands for a specified period of 10 to 15 years. The Dutch rejection of the proposal came after the Prime Minister, Mr William Drees, held a special Cabinet meeting to discuss it. The Dutch are expected to make a counterproposal. So far this has been kept a secret, but some reports say it would put sovereignty in the hands of the Nether lands-Indonesian Union, with the administration mainly in Dutch hands. Members of the Indonesian delegation today continued to examine the Dutch assertion that a large section of international feeling was against the transfer of sovereignty at this time. *- Occupation by Australia Reported suggestions that Australia might occupy Western New Guinea if it were transferred to Indonesia have not been taken very seriously by the Indonesians. An Indonesian spokesman said they had told the Dutch such a move would be aggression and would immediately come before the Security Council. They felt Australia would not dare to take such a drastic step with the Pacific area already so disturbed. Another reported Dutch assertion, that the United States was not in favour of any change in the political status of New Guinea at present, is Believed to be regarded by Indonesia as a much weightier argument, but the United States Embassy at The Hague said today it was “ greatly surprised ” at reports that Holland had told Indoseia that the United States was opposed to any change in the political status of Western New Guinea. A United States Embassy spokesman said: “We presumed that the United States standpoint was well known. It is that the question of Western New Guinea should be decided by bilateral negotiations between the Netherlands Government and Indonesia without interference.”