Five-Power Military Talks On Asia Begin

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27368, 5 June 1954, Page 7

Five-Power Military Talks On Asia Begin

(N.Z, Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, June 4. Military leaders of five Allied nations meeting secretly here were due to begin a detailed discussion today of Southeast Asian defence problems, haying made it clear that this is an important step towards the formation of a new security alliance in the region.

Representing the United States, Britain, France, Australia, and New Zealand, the five high-ranking officers mapped the course of their talks on military problems arising from the Indo-China situation in their first meeting at the Defence Department yesterday.

They were understood to have discussed an agenda for the conference, which will probably last more than a week, beginning their detailed talks today.

A brief joint communique issued after their first meeting emphasised the importance of the military leaders’ talks in relation to future political moves towards the South-east Asian defence pact which has been proposed by the Eisenhower Administration. i Although it pointed out that the five governments would make nd commitments through their military representatives at this stage, it said the talks “will be of value not only to the countries represented, but to other countries in the region in further conversations which may take place later on a wider basis.” , This was regarded as a reference to ■ a future political conference on the 1 proposed defence alliance, under ( which United States leaders envisage 10 nations would take part in ‘United action” to halt further Communist ag- ! gression in South-east Asia. , A Reuter correspondent said Allied - diplomats believed the military talks would define to some extent , what the < United States would be prepared to do < in a military sense under the proposed ; pact or in a sudden deterioration of : the military situation in Indo-China. ; They point out that future commitments by thfor governments in both , cases would depend on what the United , States intended to do. Among other problems expected to be dealt with by the Five-Power military conference which would have a bearing on political planning for the alliance were:— . .... (1) The defence of Indo-China if the current peace talks. in Geneva produced an armistice involving a partition of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. (2) Measures to assist the French Union forces fighting the Communistled Vietminh rebels, if no cease fire or other settlement could be reached at the Geneva conference table.

(3) Military action to meet possible direct intervention in the Indo-China war by Communist Chinese forces. The military chiefs were understood to intend to examine plans for American participation in the training of native Indo-Chinese forces—up to now carried out by the .French —in seeking an estimate of the potential military strength which could be developed as part of a security system in the Southeast Asia area. A Washington dispatch in the New York Times” today said General James van Fleet, who recently returned from a military survey of the Far East for President Eisenhower, «had made a “gloomy report” to senators. m The dispatch said responsible in- ■ formants had used the terms “gloomy, “depressing,” and “unsettling” in de- > scribing a briefing by General van ’ Fleet, the retired former commander. ,of the Eighth Army in Korea. The paper added: “These terms were • said to refer not only to the present s military position in the Far East, but to • the prospects therp.”