Reference your telegram 156. [1] I had already decided to discuss
the situation informally with the head of the political section on
the basis of your telegram 155 [2] and did so this morning.

2. I dealt with firstly the attitude of the Dutch in the N.E.I.

emphasising that my remarks were based on my inferences from
reports from Batavia and elsewhere and my own observations and
experiences in Batavia. [3] I took particular care to safeguard
Kirby's position. I urged that if there was to be any hope of a
successful issue, Van Mook, Spoor, and the like must co-operate
and not stall and virtually oppose what was, I understand, the
policy of the Government here. I pointed out that Van Zeeland's
absence could not help giving the impression that the work of the
Committee was being delayed.

3. Bentinck took note of what I said and confirmed my conjectures
as to the Government's policy.

4. I then went on to Australia's position on the three power
Commission and very strong reasons for the Commission continuing
as at present constituted.

5. Bentinck expressed his personal opinion firstly that the
Netherlands would in no way oppose Australia remaining a member.

Secondly that it might see its way to support the view that the
Committee should not be changed. This point he would have to
discuss with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and so far they had
been hesitant to intervene in the Council's deliberations. Thirdly
he did not think that they would be prepared to oppose actively a
decision to reconstitute the Committee. [4]

6. As regards to paragraph 3 of your telegram 155, I have no doubt
that the Government here desire[s] the Committee to succeed and
does not encourage [delaying] [5] tactics. But the Dutch
temperament is to favour slow careful progress and the Government
believes, in my opinion without foundation, that one reason for
the ultimate failure of both the Inverchapel and Killearn efforts
was that they were concluded in haste. I am sure that they have
welcomed recent hopeful signs (see my telegram 204 [6]) and would
countenance nothing which threatened them. But I am equally sure
that neither Van Mook, Spoor nor his entourage (or indeed any
senior official at Batavia except Van Vredenburch) share this
view. I believe that this situation is known here and that the
visit of Neher, a member of the Cabinet, may be connected with it.