AUSTRALIAN AID TO INDO-CHINA

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26986, 11 March 1953, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN AID TO INDO-CHINA

TALKS WITH FRENCH MINISTER (Rec. 8 p.m.) CANBERRA, Mar. 10. The French Government was seeking Australian aid in the fight against communism in Indo-China, the Minister of External Affairs (Mr R. G. Casey) announced today after discussions which he and the Defence Minister (Sir Philip Mcßride) had with the French Minister of the Associated States (Mr Jean Le Tourneau). Mr Casey said Mr Le Tourneau was seeking material assistance. “I am not at liberty at this stage to say what the exact nature of the assistance is, whether war materials or only foodstuffs and clothing,” Mr Casey said. “We expect to issue a communique tomorrow.” Mr Le Tourneau said when he arrived in Canberra that the Chinese Communists had increased their flow of war supplies to the Vietminh rebels in Indo-China over the last three months. He said the Chinese had been sending 500 tons of various war supplies to the rebels each month, but recently had stepped up the flow to as high as 1200 tons a month. The French Air Force was making a concerted effort to stem the supplies, which were coming intp Indo-China down three routes. Tomorrow, Mr Le Tourneau will brief members of Parliament on the situation in Indo-China. From Melbourne, he was driven straight to the Federal Parliament, where he was given a seat on the floor of the House of Representatives. Queen to Attend Concert.— The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will attend a concert in the Royal Festival Hall, London, on October 19. to be given by the Australian Musical Association and the New Zealand Musical Society.—London. March 9.