Sovereignty was the prized possession on the negotiating table as the Dutch and Indonesian delegations engaged in intense discussions. The Dutch East Indies, a coveted colony for centuries, was about to change hands. After years of resistance and strife, the United States of Indonesia was finally within grasp of self-governance. The Round Table Conference in The Hague had been the catalyst for this monumental shift in power. On November 2, 1949, the Netherlands reluctantly agreed to transfer sovereignty, paving the way for Indonesia's independence.