I refer to J.I.C. Agendum No. 92 dated 17th May, 1949, regarding a
direction from the Defence Committee to the Joint Planning
Committee to produce a paper entitled 'An Overall Concept for
Australian Strategy'.

2. I shall be unable to attend the meeting of the J.I.C. on 26th
May but, in case the above agendum item is discussed, would be
grateful if you could bring to the notice of the Committee the
views of this Department:

(1) An appreciation was prepared in this Department last September
containing a survey of political events and trends in South-East
Asia and a practical longterm programme to implement an active
Australian policy in South-East Asia. [2] This appreciation was
sent by the Acting Minister for External Affairs to the Minister
for Defence on 6th October, 1948, and was subsequently referred to
the Defence Committee. No comments have so far been received by
the Acting Minister for External Affairs.

(2) This Department is proposing to revise the appreciation in the
light of recent developments in China and South-East Asia [3] and
would naturally take into account any comments received from the
Defence Committee.

(3) It is not considered that the J.I.C. would be in a position to
prepare a comprehensive appreciation of the nature proposed until
questions arising out of the earlier appreciation prepared by this
Department have been settled.