The Commission met this afternoon March 25th to discuss:-

(a) request of the Council for a report on the damage to
Djokjakarta.

(b) influence of the Council's directive [1] of March 23rd.

2. I sought an early visit to Djokjakarta as a basis for reply (a)
and for recommendations for demilitarisation of the Republican
Government. This proposal was designed to force an early decision
on the restoration of the Republican Government and to strengthen
the position of the Republican leaders. It was strongly opposed
however, by Herremans and Cochran and as there was no possibility
of obtaining support I was obliged to agree to their proposals
that we should-
(a) make a brief report on Djokjakarta from our present knowledge
(which is that there is no material damage to the town) and
(b) issue invitations to the Dutch and the Republicans at Bangka
to attend a conference at Batavia next Wednesday (March 30th) to
discuss the implementation of conditional resolution in the terms
of the Council's March 23rd directive.

3. As Cochran visited the Republican leaders on Bangka yesterday I
presume that before proposing that the Commission issue
invitations to a conference he obtained an indication that the
Republicans would agree to attend. Failing directions to the
contrary I shall insist that the Republicans are given the
opportunity of consultation with other members of their Government
before attending the Conference and that the report on Djokjakarta
includes reference to the removal of equipment.

4. The Commission will meet at 10.30 a.m. March 26th to approve
the texts of the report on Djokjakarta and the invitations to the
conference.

5. In private discussion Cochran agrees with the analysis that the
situation in Indonesia is rapidly deteriorating and that the
position of moderates such as Sukarno and Hatta must be
strengthened as quickly as possible. He claims that in conjunction
with Lacy he has informed the State Department accordingly in a
most strongly worded telegram. Cochran also agrees that the
restoration of the Republican Government to Djokjakarta should be
the first consideration of the conference and that the Commission
should report quickly if a deadlock arises on this issue.