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AUSTRALIAN REQUEST
TO U.N. COUNCIL
"Tlie Mercury" Special Service.
QAHBERRA, Wed.-Derails of Hie Australian Government's
request to the Security Council to intervene in the Indo-
nesian dispute were given hy the Prime Minister (Mr Chifley)
today.
"r£*HE "Australian representative at
the council will ask first that
tlie necessary steps be taken to ter-
minate hostilities, and second, with-
out discussing the merits of the sit-
uation, that both parties act upon
article 17 of the Linggadjati Agree-
ment, which specifically provides
that in the event of disagreement
between the two parties arising out
of the Linggad jati Agreement a third
party be asked to arbitrate, or fail-
ing that, the matter should be refer-
red to the Chief Justice of the In-
ternational Court," Mr Chifley said.
Mr Chifley added:
"If the Australian proposal is
given effect to without delay or de-
bate on procedural issues, and if it is
readily admitted by the Security
Council that the situation is one
within its jurisdiction, there should
be a good prospect of an immediate
cessation of hostilities, and an im-
mediate negotiation between the two
parties with the assistance of a third
party of their own choosing.
Reason For Delay
Mr Chifley said Australia had
taken this action 10 days after hos-
tilities had begun in Indonesia be-
cause, in accordance with Article 33
of the Charter, the parties to any
dispute were obliged first of all to
seek a solution by negotiation or
mediation.
Strenuous attempts had been made
in consultation with other Govern-
ments, particularly the United King-
dom, United States, and India to
bring about a solution in this way.
However, it was felt further de-
lay was not justified because of
the loss of life being sustained.
Mr Chifley emphasised that the
Australian action had been taken
after close consultations between
himself, the Minister for External
Affairs (Dr Evatt)" who is in Japan,
and with the Governments of *tht
United Kingdom, New Zealand, anc
India,
Action Welcomed
The head of the diplomatic an<
consular section of the Foreign Af
fairs Ministry of the Indonesian Re
public (Dr Usman) welcomed th
Australian Government's action.
He said he believed his Govern
ment would instruct one of its repre
sentatives abroad to convey to th
Secretary General of U.N.O. a de
claration that the Republican Gov
ernment would undertake the obli
gâtions and ideas of the United Na
tions Charter, particularly articli
25.
THE HAGUE, Wed. (A.A.P.). - 1
Foreign Office spokesman said it wa
regrettable Australia took the ste]
of submitting the Indonesian ques
tion to the Security Council after M
Bevin's recent renewed offer of goo»
LnffioM
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