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within the French Union. New Zealand gave support to the Vietnamese Government of Bao Dai in October by voting for its admission to associate membership of the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East. At the same time, New Zealand voted against the admission of the so-called Government of Ho Chi Minh. Furthermore, when the agreements and treaties referred to above came into force, the New Zealand Government formally recognized the new status of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia in messages to their respective Foreign Ministers. 6. Federation of Malaya The situation in Malaya has remained disturbed, with Communistdirected bandits persisting in the terrorist activities that have been a feature of the Malayan scene since early in 1948. Although the ensuing disruption of normal economic activity has hampered efforts at reconstruction and rehabilitation of the country, that fact has not prevented the British Government from proceeding with their plans for ultimate self-government in Malaya, and considerable and significant progress has been made in racial co-operation through such agencies as the Government - sponsored Communities Liaison Committee. New Zealand continues to be concerned with events in this area, which is of stragetic importance to the South-west Pacific, and has made available to the Far East Command of the R.A.F. the services of a flight of Dakota transport aircraft from the R.N.Z.A.F. This flight, based on Singapore, has been employed almost entirely on transport duties between Singapore and Hong Hong, although more recently it has given valued service in supply-dropping missions in Malaya itself. 7. Indonesia The United Nations Commission for Indonesia made the first move toward settlement of the conflict that had troubled the Indonesian Archipelago since shortly after the surrender of Japan when, on. the instructions of the Security Council, it convened a meeting in Batavia among representatives of the Governments of the Netherlands, the Indonesian Republic, and the Federal States. The purpose of this meeting was to bring about a cessation of hostilities and to make preparations for a round-table Conference to determine the time and form of a transfer of sovereignty. Largescale military action virtually ceased after the Batavia Conference and both the Netherlands representatives and those of the Republic, the Government of which was now restored to Djokjakarta, displayed a greater measure of trust and confidence in each other than formerly.