COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY THE CONFERENCE OF FOREIGN MINISTERS, DJAKARTA, MAY 16-17, 1970.

^{Reference: This Communique is also published in IX DFA TS No. 1, p. 90.}

1. At the invitation of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, a Conference of Foreign Ministers was held in Djakarta, Indonesia, on 16th and 17th May 1970, to discuss the critical situation arising out of recent events in Cambodia. The participants at the Conference were as follows:

RT. HON. WILLIAM MCMAHON	—	Minister for External Affairs of Australia
H.E. ADAM MALIK	—	Foreign Minister of the Republic of Indonesia.
H.E. KIICHI AICHI	—	Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
H.E. KYU HAH CHOI	—	Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea.
H.E. PHAGNA KHAMPHAN PANYA	—	Delegate of the P.N. for Foreign Affairs of Laos.
H.E. TUN HAJI ABDUL	—	Deputy Prime-Minister and Minister of Defense of Malaysia.
RAZAK BIN DATO HUSSEIN
RT. HON. KEITH HOLYOAKE, CH	—	Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand.
H.E. GENERAL CARLOS P.	—	Foreign Secretary of the Philippines. ROMULO
H.E. ABDUL RAHIM ISHAK	—	Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Singapore.
H.E. THANAT KHOMAN	—	Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.
H.E. TRAN VAN LAM	—	Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Vietnam.

The Conference elected H.E. Adam Malik as Chairman, the Hon. Tun Haji Abdul Razak and H.E. General Carlos P. Romulo as Vice-Chairman, and H.E. Mr. Thanat Khoman as Rapporteur. Madame Artati Marzuki Sudirdjo was selected Secretary of the Conference.

2. The Conference was opened by His Excellency President Soeharto of the Republic of Indonesia. In his address the President noted that the big powers which in terms of the Charter of the United Nations were entrusted to safeguard international peace and security and also the powers with special responsibility under the Geneva Agreement of 1954 had not shown any signs of taking action in that direction in Cambodia. The Conference in Djakarta was therefore convened as a first step in an objective endeavour to arrest the worsening of the situation and to contribute towards restoring a peaceful atmosphere in Cambodia in order to enable the people of Cambodia to solve their own problems without outside interference. The achievement of these objectives would also have a favourable impact on the broader issue of finding a peaceful solution for the whole of Indo-China.

3. At the invitation of the meeting, the Second Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cambodia H.E. Yem Sambaur described recent developments and the present situation in his country and answered questions arising out of that statement.

4. The Ministers had a free and frank exchange of views on the situation in Cambodia and in the area generally in a spirit of goodwill and mutual understanding. They recognized that the primary responsibility for dealing with regional problems rested in the first place with the countries of the region and that the restoration and maintenance of peace called for co-operation on the widest possible base between all of the countries involved or concerned. They expressed the hope that as a consensus among the Asian countries grows, for which the ideas adopted at the present meeting might be regarded as a starting point, those countries not represented at the Conference would participate in any future discussions.

5. Motivated by a common desire to contribute to restoring peace and tranquility in Cambodia in particular and in Southeast Asia in general, the Ministers reaffirmed their commitment of their countries to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter relevant to the present problems, in particular Article I of the Charter which calls for the resolution by peaceful means of any dispute among nations. They also recalled the Declaration of the Bandung Conference of Afro-Asian Nations in April 1955 having in mind in particular the principles with regard to respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and non-intervention in the internal affairs of other states.

6. The Ministers recognized the desire of the Cambodian people to maintain a position of neutrality and non-alignment in the international affairs and to be left alone to manage their own affairs. In reviewing the Cambodian situation however, the Ministers noted with deep concern the seriously aggravated situation in that country which, if allowed to continue, would further endanger peace and stability in the whole of Southeast Asia. They were unanimous in their view that the future of Cambodia should be determined by the Cambodian people themselves without any external interference and in conformity with the declared policy of Cambodia of strict neutrality and non-alignment as stipulated by that Government in its declaration in, 1957 and since repeatedly reaffirmed. In this connection they recalled the pledges of the parties to the Geneva Agreement of 1954 and of others concerned to respect the sovereignty, neutrality, unity and territorial integrity of Cambodia and to refrain from any interference in the internal affairs of that country.

7. In the light of the above considerations the Ministers earnestly and emphatically urge:

i. that all acts of hostilities be stopped forthwith and all foreign forces be withdrawn from the territory of Cambodia;

ii. that all parties respect the sovereignty, independence, neutrality and territorial integrity of Cambodia and refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of that country in order to enable the Cambodian people to solve their problems by peaceful means of their own choice without any external interference OF pressure;

iii. that the co-Chairmen and participants in the 1954 Geneva Conference and the members of the International Control Commission on Cambodia set up by the Conference consult and co-operate together in reactivating the said Commission; iv. that the participants in the 1954 Geneva Conference and all other interested parties consult together with a view to arriving at a consensus for the early convening of an International Conference to find a just, peaceful and effective resolution of the present situation.

8. The Ministers decided to place their views and recommendations mentioned above on record with the United Nations. In doing so, they expressed the hope that all members of the United Nations would hereby be apprised of the gravity of the problem and lend their good offices towards a peaceful solution of the Cambodian problem through the convening of an International Conference on the lines suggested by the Secretary-General of the United Nations and others. 9. The Ministers requested three of their number consisting of the Foreign Ministers of Japan, Malaysia, and Indonesia to embark upon urgent consultations among themselves and others as well as the co-Chairman of the Geneva Conference on ways and means of implementing paragraph 7(iii) and (iv) and paragraph C above and to initiate discussions with the Secretary General of the United Nations and the President and Members of the Security Council with a view to action by the United Nations.

10. The ministers expressed their grateful appreciation for the cordial hospitality accorded them and their delegations by the Government and people of the Republic of Indonesia during their sojourn in Djakarta and for the excellent arrangements for the meeting.

They invited these Ministers to report the result of their efforts to the Governments represented at this Conference. They authorized the Chairman of the conference to consult with these Governments, and others concerned, as to further possible steps towards a peaceful solution.

Source: Supreme Court e-Library