COMMENT BY MR DULLES

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27047, 23 May 1953, Page 7

COMMENT BY MR DULLES

Soviet Concessions Sought (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) NEW DELHI, May 22. The American Secretary of State (Mr Dulles) told a press conference today that he did not think any important results could come from a high-level conference with Soviet Russia so long as Russia supported the war in Korea and Indo-China, and refused to withdraw her occupation troops from Austria. Mr Dulles said it was important that a regional defence organisation be established in the Middle East, and added: "Democracy in the world can work, but it needs a military shield behind which to grow.” Answering written questions from correspondents, Mr Dulles said: “The stalemate of distrust” could be ended by Russia bringing about the end of the war of aggression in Korea and a stoppage of the aggression against the Indo-China State of Laos and by making an Austrian treaty. He said the United States was not afraid of the Communists. “We have no doubt that if the Communist countries should start a total war, the end would be their total destruction.” Mr Dulles’ said that wherever there was a combination of absolute dictatorship and a huge military establishment, a lack of moral principles existed —as in the Soviet Union. We feel we should take precautions, but such precautions should not be identified with fear,” he said.