As arranged. (Paragraph 1 (a) of K.237 [1]) the Committee's
Military Representatives met January 4th with a representative of
the Chief of General Staff. No progress was made towards
arrangements for the return of the military observers to the field
as the Dutch representative had no authority, and insisted that
before such arrangements could be made, the matter would have to
be referred to the Commander in Chief and the Chief of Staff, both
of whom were out of Batavia at the time. The Dutch representative
also indicated that the observers would not be permitted to go
into the field until it was clearly decided whether they were
responsible to the Committee or to the Consular Commission.

This is a clear demonstration of the Netherlands delaying tactics
and cannot be reconciled with Van Royen's statements to the
Security Council on 27th December and 29th December that the
Military observers could again be despatched to the field.

Committee will write a further strong letter to the Dutch on this
matter, and the subject will be fully dealt with in our report to
the Security Council (see paragraph 2, K.237).