But the tortuous process was far from over. On 8 August, van Roijen called on Averell Harriman, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs, and later that same day on Secretary of State Dean Rusk[1].
His mission was to apprise them that the Dutch were very much distressed to learn of a secret Aide Memoire that the UN Secretary-General had given to Indonesian Foreign Minister Subandrio[2].
In that memorandum, which detailed Secretary-General U Thant’s understanding of the procedure for the transfer of administrative authority, it was mentioned that the Indonesian flag would be raised alongside the UN flag on 1 January 1963, although it was also mentioned that the effective transfer of authority would be as soon as possible after 3 May 1963.
The cause of Dutch consternation was the premature hoisting of the Indonesian flag over West Irian and the discovery of this memorandum would become known in history as the “flag incident.” The early hoisting of the Indonesian flag over West Irian would constitute a victory for the Indonesians that was denied them at the negotiations. The Dutch Government was already under enormous pressure from local critics and, with this added humiliation, any formal agreement that might be reached was in real danger of not being ratified by Dutch parliament.
When finally confronted by van Roijen on this issue, U Thant explained that he had done it in good faith after learning of a comment by van Roijen that whatever happened after the Dutch turned over administrative control over West Irian to the United Nations would be his responsibility. He had taken that at face value and had acted accordingly and now he was not too willing to repudiate his action.
When formal negotiations began at the UN in New York on 13 August 1962 with UN Secretary-General U Thant and Ambassador Ellsworth Bunker leading the discussions, the immediate focus was on how the “flag” issue would be resolved.
The Secretary-General proposed a compromise: throughout the interim period all three flags—Dutch, UN and Indonesian—would fly side by side as a symbol of cooperation[3]. To the Dutch this was acceptable; the Indonesians rejected it[4].
Then Bunker offered a solution: to the Secretary-General’s 31 July Aide Memoire, an item would be added that while the UN flag would be flown throughout the transition period, the matter of the flying of the Dutch and Indonesian flags would be determined by agreement between the Secretary-General and the two Governments. Then the version of the Aide Memoire to be received by the Dutch would provide that the Dutch flag would continue to fly over West Irian until the end of 1962[5].
Both delegations forwarded the proposal to their respective Governments for approval. President Sukarno promptly rejected it. In reaction, the Dutch delegation asked for a suspension of discussions.
It was at this point that a furious Ellsworth Bunker took Subandrio aside and in blunt terms told him that the Indonesian position was “outrageous and incomprehensible” and that the Indonesian Government should do two things at once: stop military activities in West Irian and accept his compromise proposal on the flag issue.
A flustered Subandrio said that perhaps President Sukarno had not received his strong recommendation to accept the Bunker proposal on the flags. He assured Bunker that he would send the President another urgent message.
The UN Secretary-General sent his own personal message to President Sukarno to stop the military action in West Irian and to accept the Bunker proposal.
In Jakarta, the American Ambassador was hard at work persuading an adamant President Sukarno to relent and stop all military action and accept the Bunker proposal. In New York, the Indonesian delegation sent Ambassador Adam Malik home with copies of the telegrams that President Sukarno apparently had not received because the Indonesian mission’s communication facilities were not working right[6]. The telegrams had strongly recommending acceptance of the Bunker proposal.
At the same time, Foreign Minister Subandrio asked for the use of US communication facilities so that he could directly convey his recommendations to President Sukarno[7]. All were racing against the clock believing that full-scale war could explode at any moment.
Finally, on 15 August 1962, Acting Foreign Minister Leimena told the American Ambassador that the Indonesian Government would accept the Bunker proposal if the Dutch would do the same.
His interpretation of the Bunker proposal, however, was that the Dutch flag would be lowered and the UN flag raised in West Irian on 1 October 1962; the Dutch flag would be raised again the following day, symbolizing Dutch cooperation with the UN; on 31 December 1962, a day earlier than proposed by Bunker, the Dutch flag would be lowered and the Indonesian flag raised. On 1 May 1963, the UN flag would be brought down and the Indonesian flag would fly alone over West Irian
