THE HAGUE, 22/03/01 - The Netherlands remains averse to public military displays such as parades, command transfers, and medal ceremonies. A NIPO opinion poll shows that only a military guard of honor on Princes Day (the opening of parliament) is still accepted by a majority (55 percent).

The results of the survey were presented to Defence Minister Frank de Grave yesterday. A public transfer of command, such as the upcoming ceremony in the Malieveld in The Hague involving the future and departing army leaders, only appeals to one in four people.

The results are striking, as Minister De Grave said in Rotterdam last year, after the 335th anniversary celebrations of the Marine Corps, that he wished to hold more military parades. This would be good for recruiting personnel, and he claimed that there was now more support for military visibility, after the pacifist seventies.

However, the survey showed that the Dutch are certainly not enthusiastic about military display. They also barely know where Dutch blue helmets are active in the world. For example, only 17 percent were aware of the Dutch participation in the peacekeeping mission in Cyprus. And 55 percent think that the Netherlands is still active in Kosovo.