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In this happier atmosphere the delegates to the round-table Conference assembled at The Hague in August. Once again the United Nations Commission used its good offices in bringing the parties together, and the wide measure of agreement that was attained stands as a tribute to the statesmanlike qualities of the negotiators and to the skill in mediation of the members of the Commission. Agreement was reached on almost all points, the most important being the unanimity on unconditional transfer of sovereignty at an early date to the Republic of the United States of Indonesia, which would then take its place as an independent State within a Netherlands-Indonesian Union. One major issue that has yet to be settled concerns the future of Dutch New Guinea. This, the western portion of the island of New Guinea, is sparsely populated by a primitive people lacking linguistic, cultural, and ethnical affinity to the inhabitants of the Indonesian Archipelago, although included in the former administration of the Netherlands East Indies. In order not to prejudice the chances of the wider settlement, further consideration of this subject at The Hague was postponed, with the provision that the question of the status of this territory shall be finally determined by negotiation within one year after the date of transfer of sovereignty in Indonesia. In the meantime, the status quo is maintained. The transfer of sovereignty was completed and the independence of the new Republic proclaimed on 27 December, 1949. The New Zealand Government took this opportunity to despatch a message of greetings and good will in terms that constituted recognition. Later, the Minister of External Affairs visited Djakarta (formerly Batavia) on his way home from the Colombo Conference in order to convey the good wishes of the New Zealand Government to the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the new Republic. % 8. Burma Conditions in Burma have for some time been disturbed by the activities of Communist and insurgent bands in the northern and central districts and the separatist movement of the Karen people in the south. During the Conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers in London in April, 1949, the Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom, Pakistan, India, and Ceylon met to consider a request from the Burmese authorities for assistance in the early restoration of law and order in Burma. It was agreed to give whatever support was possible to the Burmese Government, and the implementation of this decision was discussed with Premier Thakin Nu by the representatives of these four countries in Rangoon. The question of financial assistance was again raised at the Colombo Conference of