UNITED STATES DELEGATION TO SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
October 31, 1952 (Typed Nov. 3, 1952)
MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION
SUBJECT: Western New Guinea
PARTICIPANTS: Foreign Minister Luns, Netherlands Delegation The Secretary of State Homer M. Byington, Jr.
COPIES TO: U.S. Delegation. 7th GA Department Mr. Taylor Distribution to be determined by S/S. Mr. Popper Mr. Ross Secretary-General Homer M. Byington, Jr. Reference
At the close of his conversation concerning Korea, the EDC, and Tunisia, Mr. Luns said there was one thing more of particular interest to the Netherlands which he desired to raise with the Secretary; that was the question of Western New Guinea.
Mr. Luns handed to the Secretary the attached statement of the Netherlands Government on that subject. He emphasized that the statement was the result of the most careful consideration by his Government and he hoped the Secretary would support the Dutch position. He pointed out that last year the Dutch in their negotiations with the Indonesians had explored every possible approach in a strenuous effort to reach agreement with Indonesia. It had become absolutely clear, however, that the Indonesians in discussing Western New Guinea were only prepared to talk with regard to the modality of how Western New Guinea was to be turned over to Indonesia. The Netherlands Government was not prepared then and would not be prepared at any time in the future to negotiate on such a basis. Not only was the population of Western New Guinea completely different to that of Indonesia but also the future economic and political development of the area could only be furthered through assurance of continuing Dutch interest and support. Mr. Luns, therefore, urged the Secretary that the U.S. oppose at this time any further proposals in favor of renewing negotiations between the Netherlands and Indonesia with regard to Western New Guinea. It was Mr. Luns' conviction that negotiations with Indonesia would only worsen the situation rather than help it. The Secretary said that the policy of the U.S. would be to continue to maintain that this question was one that concerned the Netherlands and Indonesia and it was not the policy of the United States to interfere in it.
Attachment
HMByington,Jr.:bw
Excerpt from a Statement made by the Netherlands Government To the Second Chamber of the States-General, October 1952
The position of the Netherlands Government is that the de jure and de facto sovereignty over Western New Guinea rests with the Kingdom of the Netherlands. As a member of the United Nations, the Kingdom has undertaken to carry out the obligation laid down in Article 73 of the Charter, i.e., to promote the development of the territory and the well-being of its inhabitants, to accept this obligation as a sacred trust and to transmit regularly to the United Nations information on the territory in accordance with Article 73(e). The Netherlands Government will continue to do so until the inhabitants of Netherlands New Guinea are able to decide themselves upon their own future.
The Government believes that a resumption of the negotiations on Netherlands New Guinea with Indonesia will hardly serve any useful purpose, since such negotiations cannot successfully deal with the status of the territory on which the respective Governments have taken a definite position.
Nevertheless, the Netherlands Government is willing in conversations on the territory to assist in removing possible misconceptions and apprehensions on the part of the Indonesian Government with respect to the Netherlands aim and purposes in administering the territory. Similarly, the Government is ready to examine any suggestion that may contribute to promote the friendly relations between both countries, without infringing upon the Netherlands sovereignty over Western New Guinea.
The Government does not contemplate to relinquish Western New Guinea or to limit its sovereignty over the territory by entering into a mandate or trust agreement.
The position as described above has been taken by the Netherlands Government after long and careful consideration of the various aspects of this question.
New York October 31, 1952