ASIAN TALKS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27435, 23 August 1954, Page 11

ASIAN TALKS

Venue May Be Changed (Rec. 9.30 p.m) WASHINGTON, August 19. A State Department spokesman (Mr Henry Suydam) said today that the Philippines Government had proposed transferring the site of next month*s South-east Asian defence conference from Baguio to Manila. Mr Suydam told a press conference that the change was acceptable to the United States. He said he understood that the proposed transfer of the site of the conference from Baguio, the summer capital of the Philippines, to Manila, wai due to the fact that the rainy season had begun or would have begun by September 6 when the conference was due to open. Because of rains and fog, access to Baguio by aircraft might be difficult at that time. The Philippines Government has approached the other participants in the Baguio conference. The United States view is that it is primarily a question for the Philippines, as the host Government. • A Canberra message says that the Prime Minister . (Mr Menzies) has officially announced that Australia will be represented at the talks on S.E.A.TO. by the Minister of External Affairs (Mr R. G. Casey) and officials of the Prime Minister’s Department and Departments of External Affairs and Defence.