With reference to your letter of the 6th January (A.Y.27/1/1) on
the subject of the British Defence Committee in South East Asia
the High Commissioner has been asked to let you know that the
whole question of the work of this Committee has recently been
under consideration by the United Kingdom Authorities and it has
been agreed that the name of the Committee should be changed to
'the British Defence Co-ordination Committee-Far East'. Terms of
Reference have also been agreed and I enclose a copy.

It will be noticed that the Terms of Reference embody provisions
for continuing the practice of inviting representatives of
Australia and New Zealand when questions affecting either country
are under consideration (paragraph g). It has also been suggested
that the United States should be invited to send an observer to
meetings of the Committee on appropriate occasions. This is
considered desirable by the United Kingdom authorities, provided
that the Australian and New Zealand Governments concur. We have
been asked to ascertain the views of the Australian authorities on
this suggestion. [1]

Attachment

Terms of Reference

(a) Name of Committee
The Committee will be called the British Defence Co-ordination
Committee-
Far East.

(b) Composition
The British Defence Co-ordination Committee-Far East will consist
of:

The Governor-General of Malaya (in the Chair)
The Special Commissioner in South-East Asia
The Commander-in-Chief, British Pacific Fleet
The Commander-in-Chief, F.A.R.E.L.F.

Air Commander-in-Chief, Far East.

(i) The Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station, will be included
instead of the Commander-in-Chief, British Pacific Fleet, as a
member of the Committee when matters are under discussion which
affect the East Indies Station.

(ii) The Flag Officer, Malaya, will represent either the
Commander-in-Chief, British Pacific Fleet, or the Commander-in-
Chief, East Indies Station, in their absence.

(c) Area
The British Defence Co-ordination Committee-Far East, will for the
present concern itself with the following areas, which will be
subject to periodic review in the light of subsequent Commonwealth
Defence arrangements:

Malayan Union
Singapore (which, besides adjacent islands, includes Christmas and
Cocos Islands)
British North Borneo, Brunei, Sarawak
Hong Kong
Burma
Andamans and Nicobars
Ceylon (pending a decision on the command arrangements in that
island and its allocation to a zonal Defence Committee)
Siam
French Indo-China
Java, Sumatra, Bali, Dutch Borneo
China (including Manchuria and Inner Mongolia)
Korea, Outer Mongolia, Tannu Tuva, Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan
British Pacific Fleet Station (excluding Japan)
(d) Responsibilities
The Committee is responsible for the co-ordination of all civil
and military matters in the area having a bearing on defence. The
Committee should do this by:

(a) Acting as a forum for the discussion and co-ordination of all
current and future defence activities.

(b) Furnishing coordinated advice and recommendations on local
matters to London and through London to other Commonwealth
Governments.

(c) Preparing strategic studies against a background provided by
London.

(e) Channel of Communication
Reports and recommendations of the Committee will be made to the
Chiefs of Staff Committee. This in no way precludes individual
members from reporting direct to their own departments.

(f) Relationship with Local Defence Committee
Local Defence Committees in the area will be regarded as
complementary and not subordinate to the British Defence Co-
ordination Committee-Far East.

(g) Attendance of Observers
Observers from Australia and New Zealand may be invited to attend
meetings at the discretion of the Committee. Normally such
invitations, when issued, should include observers from both
countries.