AUSTRALIAN NETHERLANDS RELATIONS

1. In a note to be handed to the Netherlands Minister on 9th
November, the Acting Minister for External Affairs will refer to a
recent statement over the Hilversum radio that the Netherlands
Minister to Australia had reported to his Government-
(a) A worsening of Australian-Dutch relations.

(b) A failure by the Australian Government to co-operate.

2. Without going into the question of whether or not the Hilversum
statement is correct, the note will take the opportunity it
presents to review the course of our relations with the Dutch over
the last several months.

3. The note will traverse-
(a) The Australian-Dutch conversations in January, 1945 [1], when
agreement was reached to pursue informal consultation between
competent officials on certain matters of common interest such as
relief of prisoners of war and internees, financial aspects of
maintenance of Dutch forces in Australia and communications. Since
that time most of these matters have been discussed and a
satisfactory settlement reached on the outstanding issue.

(b) Admission of evacuees to Australia for purposes of
recuperation.

(c) Radio communication with Java, steps for the re-establishment
of which have recently been taken by the Australian Government.

(d) The special dispensation granted at a time when our own women
were not going forward which permitted thirty-four Australian
women employed by N.E.F.I.S. [2] to proceed abroad.

(e) The training of 30,000 Netherlands troops in Australia, which
proposal we were unable to accede to because of manpower and
supply difficulties.

(f) Dutch troops on the 'Stirling Castle' which after arriving at
Fremantle on 29th October, carrying 1,586 Netherlands Servicemen
and a large number of British and Australian personnel was sent on
to Sydney, where, failing shore accommodation, the Dutch troops
have remained on board pending their transfer to another vessel
which will take them northwards to a destination probably Batavia
to be specified by SACSEA. Before reaching Fremantle, the Dutch
endeavoured to have the ship diverted to Java or Singapore, which
request we could not meet. The ship is controlled by the British
Ministry of Sea Transport.

(g) Recovery of Dutch Prisoners of War and Internees, in which
work Australian personnel are contributing fully.

(h) Indonesians in Australia, which question has been in the
forefront of Australian-Dutch relations. In regard to the
'Esperance Bay' episode, the note will say-
(i) That full opportunity was given and taken by Netherlands
officials to participate in the discussions, which preceded this
movement and that the arrangement ultimately decided upon, which
provided for the return voluntarily of the Indonesians to the
Netherlands East Indies, was made with Dutch knowledge and
acquiescence.

(ii) That claims were made by Netherlands officials when the ship
was about to leave that a number of Indonesians was sailing under
duress, which claims proved to be confounded.

(iii) That while the ship was en route, Netherlands authorities at
Batavia strongly urged upon the Allied Commander, N.E.I., that
none of the Indonesians should be disembarked in either Java or
Sumatra.

(iv) That it would greatly concern us if Netherlands authorities
in one place are disposed to disregard arrangements agreed to by
Netherlands authorities in another. In regard to Indonesians in
Dutch establishments it will be pointed out that-
(i) Police reports fail to confirm Netherlands allegations of
violent conduct by Indonesians but instead show that no request[s]
for protection have been made to them. Despite this, at one
establishment protection has been provided.

(ii) The Netherlands authorities have often urged the use of
military force against Indonesians, but that there are grave
objections to calling out the military in aid of the civil power,
especially where the civil power can provide all reasonable
remedies.

4. The note will stress that the Australian Government has at all
times been most anxious to co-operate to the maximum consistently
with our international obligations, our domestic needs, our
obligation not to take extra-legal action against any foreign
people within our jurisdiction and the limitations of our own
laws.

5. The note will say that there has however not always been the
response that there should be, that Netherlands officials in
Australia have shown a tendency not to take account of the above
limiting factors, a tendency towards impatience, a tendency to
make their approaches otherwise than through the Minister and
Department of External Affairs and finally a tendency to magnify
incidents. These things, it will be said, do not make for smooth
relations nor does it assist if the adverse reports by an
accredited representative to his Government are given full
publicity not only in his own country but in other countries as
well.

6. The note concludes by saying that a big problem now confronts
all administrations responsible for colonial territory and the
welfare of native peoples in the Pacific; that our anxiety for a
lasting solution of present troubles is no less than that of the
Dutch since our security and welfare depend so directly upon a
settlement being reached and that if this fact is kept in mind,
the necessity for us to revert to the matter of our relations with
the Dutch need not again arise.

7. The Acting Minister wishes to indicate when presenting the note
that he is passing copy to Minister External Affairs and
Australian representative at Hague and to request that Netherlands
Minister acquaints his Government with contents.