Negotiations New York Agreement

joseph luns dutch minister of foreign affairs 1956 1971, under 7 consecutive cabinets.

during 1950s, united states had poor relations indonesia, because of secret support of antigovernment rebels in sumatra , unwillingness support indonesian claim west new guinea. indonesia displeased virtually unanimous hostility of american press in international campaign west new guinea. , in 1959 counselor wrote memo on behalf of ambassador suggesting plan special united nations trusteeship on territory limited number of years, @ end of time sovereignty turned on indonesia .

at inauguration of president john f. kennedy in 1961, united states ambassador indonesia, supported white house national security council, proposed seven-point plan prevent indonesia falling under communist control , win on west , included promising indonesia reunion west new guinea. government s bureau of european affairs, central intelligence agency , secretary of state dean rusk opposed plan, both because of hostility towards indonesian president sukarno, had collaborated japanese, , support netherlands, nato ally. dutch position argued native papuan people racially different indonesia, incorporation indonesia substitution of brown colonialism white colonialism , , backward papuans not ready independence; while indonesian position argued indonesia ethnically diverse, indonesia wanted reunite territories separated colonialism, , dutch arguments democracy trick create @ doorstep of indonesia puppet state... under dutch tutelage .

by march 1961 indonesia had indicated agreement united nations trusteeship on condition not called trusteeship. both supporters of indonesia , supporters of netherlands in administration cast positions favorable anticolonialism. although idea of papuan independence appealed senior advisers in government, few thought realistic. officials concerned world opinion in favor of indonesia; diplomatic displays of third world solidarity increasing, , in january 1962, egypt closed suez canal dutch ships protest against netherlands new guinea policy. in mid-january, robert kennedy, president kennedy s brother, traveled jakarta , announced united states, former colony, committed anti-colonialism .

president kennedy later met both dutch minister of foreign affairs joseph luns , sukarno, both agreeing united nations trusteeship disagreeing on details. when united states sponsored compromise resolution in united nations indonesia opposed, relations indonesia soured. in december, national security advisor mcgeorge bundy decisively advised kennedy towards more pro-indonesian position, lest soviet bloc... draw indonesia closer . american-mediated secret ambassadorial level talks began in march 1962, without preconditions, sukarno skeptical of american intentions. talks held @ huntland estate @ middleburg, virginia. outline of plan american diplomat ellsworth bunker in 1962 proposed netherlands transfer control on new guinea neutral united nations administrators, gradually replaced indonesian administrators, , indonesia, required organize referendum give papuans freedom united nations secretary general , other united nations personnel. netherlands responded proposal shocking betrayal united states , wanting referendum take place under un administration, although after united states threatened make negotiations public, acceded addition of right self-determination agreement. foreign minister subandrio, regarded un supervision , organization of referendum humiliation indonesia , agreed set of pared-down guidelines plebiscite when united states threatened switch sides , support dutch . final version of agreement provided following parameters act of free choice :

on 15 august 1962, representatives indonesia , netherlands signed agreement between republic of indonesia , kingdom of netherlands concerning west new guinea (west irian) @ united nations headquarters in new york city.