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BRITISH FORCE
NOT DANGER
No Charge to Meet
in Indonesia
LONDON. February 8 (A.A.P. ).
Since M. Manuiiski (Ukraine) in a request to the
U.N.O. Security Council had not asked for; the with
drawal of British troops from Indonesia, Mr. Bevin
(British Foreign Minister) said nc assumed that British
troops were not regarded as a danger to peace. There
fore he was -not clear what he was . calledupon to
answer.
M. Miumilski presented to the
Sccumy Council - the view that
military action which British and
Japanese forces were waging
against the-Indonesians had ere-'
a ted at- threat To ; the "(mainten
ance oi International; peace;, and
lecm ily . Ukraine asked t\ie: Oouji-
jil to carry: 'out . investigations
and takes- measures \undem« the
Chai tet cfT the United /Natioiis
; -to bringHhe -situation: to ahj-ertd.
'MyoKlfliiuilskl'said Ukraine! aid-
notjjntendi.ito'ii'alse ; the;-, question
ofhwlthdraval - of British -.Troops,,
but;. the :usp-''Of.T(Japnne.se.'>U'c>ops<
for. suppression;;; of the . - lndo-.
nesian.- Nationalist movement was
inadmissible. Hd-- asked The Secu
rity (Council to-put nn end: to The-
existing situation,, and suggested
.creation of; a special commission
itOi investigate;.; the : situation - on
The spot-- and.-establish. peace.
-.<« "L' don-'t- seaVt that ; the : British i
are ..called upon to ; take- any,, ac
tion - at . all. -The question.- comes,
therefore,- whether . there should
be a commission,." said Mr.: Bevin.
;It; was ; first necessary . to 'de
cide who was the sovereign au
thority in Indonesia.- "As VI
understand it- the . Allies - decided
to restore the territory to; its
sovereign authority. In the- case
of /-Indonesia .the Dutch were the
first- people to declare war
against the Japanese."
ivMr. Bevin related: .-events lead-
ing-up to Britain. carrying out the
'.'unpleasant, task", .-allotted by
General MncAithui
. British, forces had:.not- expected
to.be attacked In Indonesia. Bri-
tnipT therefore, sent a limited
force; but although the British
.neved fired a shot, when ; they
landed, "our soldiers were fired
at. and were killed."- -
. "I. give you the lie that we ever
attacked the- Indonesian - raove-
;mont-.\-. All the facts are against
you," said, Mr. Bevin, who faced
M. Manuiiski,.. and thumped,- the
table. ,
Generi
, Mr: -Bevln-,re'
Mallaby.-i'Was:::i
signing,. a, truct
withs'Indonesia)
"IS it not-1 si,
ohe',wordTs: sale
iitttncksTipoftsih
want.-tointfodii
-but - cannot ."sh
Ukrainian ..letle!
cast a' slu'r. - v. ... _ . _
Bevitl. ' 't > ':A v-:-; :
. Britain nhu been, accused of all ,
kinds of: evil. purposes -ns- an Im
perialistic Power. -It was signifi
cant again that he.; went through'
the business in Moscow .with M.
Molotov (Soviet . Minister ...for'.;
Foreign Afl airs i . line, bv line, and
i although:- the situation In North :
China and Manchuria was also j
discussed, no word was said Lo
him (Mr.- Bevin) regarding Brl-'
tain's action in Indonesia.
"H is unfortunate that after T,
with great friendliness, volun-
tarily explained the whole of our
position.'- we.-- are now faced with
a charge based . on newspaper,
cuttings nnd the rest." added Mr.;
Bevin.
Dutch Attitude
Mr. van Kleffens (Nether
lands!, after paying a -tribute to
the behavior and. restraint - ol
British . troops in Java and other
Indies areas said: "We and the
British' accepted, but with re-
ifet, the fortuitous circumstances
in which Japanese troops had to
be used fo one bribf . stage and
to a limited extent..'- It. .is true
British troops have used their
nrms, but, as a gencrnl rule. In
strict compliance with Their ex
press instructions and- when at
tacked. They also used their arms
when forcefully," hindered in.
carrying out ' their humanitarian
task of freeing - wart prisoners and
internees." '
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