1. Ever since the Committee of Good Offices came to Java it has
been pinpricked by the Dutch who have sought delay by excessive
legalisms.

2. It might have been expected that with the truce some of their
unnecessary sensitivity would have disappeared. Recent
developments, however, in particular the delay in granting
permission at the request of the Committee for additional military
assistants show that this is not the case.

3. Since I can find no other explanation I suspect that the delay
in sanctioning the arrival of additional military assistants is
deliberate policy against Australia in particular and that in a
few days time the Dutch will claim that the truce having been
implemented there is no longer a need for additional military
assistants. This would not be the case. As Kirby has explained,
even after the implementation of the truce the preservation of
neutral zones between the Dutch and the Republicans will be an
important task, the more so as I feel sure the Dutch will maintain
a war of nerves by continually suggesting possible breakdowns of
the truce.

4. Implementation of the truce is going well but is not complete.

I understand that for at least the last three consecutive days the
Dutch have been surprised to learn that there were no casualties
at all on their side. Under the truce agreement Republican
evacuations should have been completed by midnight Saturday.

Communication difficulties have delayed news of the truce in some
areas and despite Dutch claims that there were no pockets of
resistance the many thousands of Republican troops which are now
being evacuated are imposing heavy pressures on transport and
quartering facilities. The Republic has consequently been obliged
to ask for an extension of the time. No official Netherlands reply
has been received but the Committee has been informed orally that
there will be no shooting. We had previously obtained an assurance
that providing Republican good faith was evident the Netherlands
would not oppose extensions.

5. Please pass appropriate section to Kirby.