Following the presentation of its supplementary report 7th March
(K.283 [1] paragraph [4]), the Commission received a letter [2]
dated 8th March from the Netherlands regarding the Republican
account of Koets's clarifications (K.283 paragraph 5). This letter
pointed out that it had been agreed at Bangka that no publicity be
given to the discussions between Koets and the Republicans and
that the Republican account being necessarily incomplete because
of its conciseness 'cannot be regarded as an official
clarification of the Netherlands position'.

2. The Commission's reply [3] of 9th March recalls that, during
the discussions on 27th February with Beel, Koets and Schuurman
regarding the proposed conference, the Commission had stressed the
desirability of the Netherlands providing it with as much
information as possible in writing. It accordingly asked for 'any
further details which the Netherlands delegation might care to
provide so that an Official clarification of the Netherlands
position can be forwarded for the information of the Security
Council in time for today's meeting'.

3. In a reply [4] dated 9th March, Schuurman informed the
Commission that since the above-mentioned discussions on 27th
February 'no further information concerning the Netherlands
position regarding round table conference has been made available
to my delegation' and that the Commission's request for further
information in writing had been referred to The Hague.

4. Schuurman handed his reply to me personally and stressed
verbally that:

(a) The Netherlands objections to the Republican expose of Koets's
clarifications were based on its incompleteness and not on any
inaccuracies;

(b) Van Royen would shortly be making an official statement of the
Netherlands position in the Security Council.

5. The three letters mentioned above will be forwarded to the
Security Council today as a second supplement.