Your telegram M.93 [1]: Commonwealth Government has given full
consideration to your proposal for declaration by United Kingdom
Government concerning Netherlands East Indies.

We are strongly impressed, however, by the objection that the
absence of a corresponding and simultaneous declaration by United
States Government might in present circumstances do real harm in
that it might be held to indicate that no political agreement
between United Kingdom and United States and the Netherlands had
been reached or that the United States was not prepared to
interfere with Japan's further southward move. From all
information available we take it as a fact that such a declaration
would not be forthcoming from United States Government at present.

Further, in his conversation while in Australia, Netherlands
Foreign Minister let it appear that he did not in fact expect any
open declaration from the United Kingdom regarding assistance to
the Netherlands East Indies as he knew that the United Kingdom
Government, in the light of European events, might reasonably be
opposed to entering into new public commitments. Dr. Van Kleffens
appears, however, fully satisfied that, irrespective of any prior
commitments, the British Commonwealth in the event of an attack on
the Netherlands East Indies would regard it as an attack on its
own vital interests and would intervene automatically.

For these reasons Commonwealth Government feels that on the whole
no useful purpose would be served by an open declaration at the
present time, especially in view of general military situation.

At the same time, it is considered that a certain value would
attach to a private assurance to the Netherlands Government in the
same sense as that proposed for the public declaration. Dr. Van
Kleffens in discussion here gave the impression of being quite
definite that the Netherlands East Indies would fight if attacked
and if necessary would fight alone. This impression is borne out
by the public statements made by Van Kleffens while in Australia
and in Netherlands East Indies. Further the stage reached in staff
conversations in Singapore would appear to render it desirable
that plans drawn up should now be based on clear political
understanding. This is a point noted in paragraph 2 of your
telegram under reference.

Commonwealth Government therefore for its part would welcome and
endorse private assurance to the Netherlands Government, in lieu
of proposed open declaration, to the effect that Netherlands East
Indies in resistance to an attack on its territories could count
on active assistance of British Commonwealth. Actual terms and
extent of such assurance would naturally be linked with agreed
strategical basis of Singapore conversations. Commonwealth
Government would hope that it would be possible to obtain
corresponding private assurance from the United States and
suggests that an approach to this end might be made in Washington.

If it appeared unlikely however that the United States would
agree, we would not for that reason wish United Kingdom
declaration to be unduly delayed. [2]