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285 so deeply over the date of August, 1957, in this connection that it simply had to be accepted as the aim. The Malayan Delegation explicitly recognised, however, that this aim was almost certainly unattainable, and that it was very unlikely that full self-government could be introduced before the spring of 1958 at the earliest. Tunku Abdul Rahman firmly stated that he and his colleagues would - and could successfully - defend any delay beyond August, 1957. The composition of the Commission should help in avoiding any criticism on grounds of delay.

IV.

(1)


 * (a)

A Working Party under the Chairmanship of the Commissioner General for the United Kingdom in South East Asia will be set up as soon as possible to prepare a treaty of defence and mutual assistance between Her Majesty's Government and the Federation Government. It was agreed that the Australian and New Zealand Governments should be invited to nominate observers at its meetings. Its terms of reference are:-

"To consider and make recommendations on the detailed provisions of a Treaty of Defence and Mutual Assistance between Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and the Government of an independent Federation of Malaya, bearing in mind the following general principles:-

(a) will afford to Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom the right to maintain in the Federation the forces necessary for the fulfilment of Commonwealth and international obligations:

(b) will continue to afford to Her Majesty's Government facilities needed in the Federation for the maintenance and support of these forces, which would include the Commonwealth Strategic Reserve:

(c) will undertake to assist the Federation in the external defence of its territory:

(d) will consult the Federation Government in regard to the exercise of their rights under the Treaty".

The intention is that the Treaty should be signed when full self government is introduced. The agreement reached in the Conference meets in full the requirements which we had set ourselves beforehand.

(b)

It was agreed that, even after the attainment of full self government, it would be essential that the present effective security intelligence machine should retain its efficiency, and also that, in view