Defence Minister Looks At Task Of Building S.E.A.T.O.

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27425, 11 August 1954, Page 12

Defence Minister Looks At Task Of Building S.E.A.T.O.

PARLIAMENT

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, August 10.

South-east Asia held the greatest importance for New Zealand, and a South-east Asia Treaty Organisation would be of the most vital concern to Australia and New Zealand, as well as to South-east Asian countries which had no desire to be gathered into the Communist net, said the Minister of Defence (Mr T. L. Macdonald) in the House of Representatives tonight. Speaking in the Budget debate, Mr Macdonald said the task of building S.E.A.T.O. would not be easy, and patience, tact, and tolerance would be < required in the negotiations. A future security organisation, to be | fully effective, would have to include as many of the South-east Asian countries as possible. S.E.A.T.O. would! probably involve New Zealand in the | provision of more defence and collec- I tive aid. and New Zealanders had ’ every reason to watch the S.E.A.T.O. • discussions with close and anxious at- < tention. There were six speakers in the debate during the day. and it is expected that the Prime Minister (Mr Holland) will reply to the debate, probably on Thursday. . South-east Asia held the greatest importance for New Zealand, and the people should have a clear understanding of the events that had taken place there, for they could have a great bearing on the future of New Zealand, Mr Macdonald said. The deterioration of the situation in Indo-China had been followed by the Geneva talks and a subsequent cease-fire agreement, which contained no real settlement but a plan for a settlement.

Twelve million persons and a vast area of country had been token over by the Communists who, following their well-known methods, would consolidate their gains and possibly influence the, rest of Indo-China. In the process a direct threat could be seen to Siam and Malaya, as well as an encouragement to Communists in Indonesia.

The sensible thing to do was to build up a security pact as soon as possible, said Mr Macdonald.

Mr C. L. Carr (Opposition, Timaru): That doesn’t mean sabre rattling, does it?

Mr Macdonald: No. You have to approach it sanely. The Minister said that if the cease fire brought with it the desire by the free countries in South-east Asia to relax, then it would also bring danger •to other countries. A South-east Asian Treaty Organisation would be of the most vital concern to Australia and New Zealand as well as to the Southeast Asian countries which had no desire to be gathered into the Communist net. To be fully effective, any such organisation would have to include as many of the Asian countries as possible. If no security organisation could be formed, then the march of communism through South-east Asia would continue.

The “peaceful co-existence” phrase sounded very nice, continued the Minister, but he wondered whether there was any real hope of such a state so long as the Communist philosophy remained as it was. For their own security the Communists had to ensure that the iron and bamboo curtains stood against the rest of the world. The steps required to establish S.E.A.T.O. required “adequate care.” but this did not mean delay. S.E.A.T.O.

would probably involve New Zealand in providing more defence and collective aid. The New Zealand defence budget of £28.000.000 was low compared with such countries as Britain.

“Defence requirements are expensive today,” he said, mentioning the evergrowing cost of training pilots and building aircraft, ships, and tanks. “In defence, like insurance, the risk is great and the premiums are high.” Soldiers serving in Korea had added lustre to the name of New Zealand, but this contribution was costing the country £14,000,000. and this figure was now likely to be £ 16,000,000. The compulsory military training scheme was functioning well and giving New Zealand better citizens and an armed manpower. Altogether, said the Minister, New Zealand was better prepared now than at any time during the years of peace, but this preparedness did not mean complacency. “South-east Asia is close to New Zealand, and in matters of defence we are no longer isolated.” Mr Macdonald said. “Isolation once afforded us some measure of protection. Today this protection exists no longer. We are vulnerable in several ways.” As an example, there was the defence of oil coming great distances by ship to New Zealand, and the defence of ships carrying* outward primary produce. “These are some of our insurance payments, in other words, our defence,” he said.

“Precipitate action in building up S.EA.T.O. is not called for—precipitate action could be dangerous. Collective measures in South-east Asia were a matter of some emergency as a result of what has happened in IndoChina.

“Early discussions (in 5.E.A.T.0.) will bring out what measures may have to be taken,” he said. “Armed strength is not the only answer to the Communistic problem, bin the lack of armed strength could mean political weakness, and this, with military weakness, could mean for a nation the ultimate acceptance of communism. “The task of those who seek to build S.E.A.T.O. will riot be easy. Patience, tact, and tolerance will be the answers today. Nations may be wary of Western imperialism as they are wary of Communist imperialism. A lot of suspicion must be allayed, a lot of doubts must be removed, and a lot of goodwill must be built up. “New Zealanders have every reason to watch the S.E.A.T.O. discussions with close and anxious attention, he said. "On SR.A.T.O., its success or failure, may depend New Zealand’s future.”