COLOMBO PLAN CONFERENCE

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27473, 6 October 1954, Page 11

COLOMBO PLAN CONFERENCE

Admission Of Japan To Be Decided

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 11.30 p.m.) OTTAWA, October 5. The representatives of 14 Colombo Plan nations, meeting in Ottawa, probably would decide today whether Siam and Japan would be admitted, according to an official source. This source said that Australia would propose Siam, and predicted that the proposal would be approved unanimously. But last-minute difficulties were reported to have arisen in connexion with Japan’s membership. It Was understood that the Indonesian delegate. Dr. Sunario, who is the Indonesian Foreign Minister, was “a little unhappy” about Japan’s participation and had so far withheld his full approval. Representatives of the other nations—Australia, Burma, Cambodia, Canada. Ceylon, India, Laos, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Britain, the United States, and Vietnam—were understood to have intimated approval of Japan’s membership.

Immediately alter yesterday’s closeddoor session in a committee room of the Canadian House of Commons, Mr R. G. Casey, the Australian Minister of External Affairs, and Mr Walter Harris. Canada’s Finance Minister, had a long talk with Dr. Sunario. Mr Harris was elected chairman when the Consultative Committee began its meetings yesterdays Dr. Sunario was understood to have explained the reasons for withholding Indonesia’s approval of Japan’s entry and to have cited the fact that Japan had not yet settled the matter of its war reparations with Indonesia. It was learned that Dr. Sunario said he would “think over his position during the night.” One suggestion put to him was that if Indonesia could not change its position that it abstain in the vote on the question of Japan’s membership. The total number of delegates and officials in the conference room is 106.

After a colourful opening ceremony in the House of Commons chamber, the delegates and officials went into closed sessions to hear general statements from the member-Governments. Main Points of Talks These were the main points that came up yesterday:— (1) Mr Chaudri Mohammed Ali, the Pakistan Minister of Finance, painted a sombre picture of Pakistan’s economy, and said the future looked very grave for Pakistan. (2) Several Asian delegates appealed for fixed prices in the world for raw materials so that their economies could be stabilised. (3) Mr Samuel Waugh, the United States Assistant-Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, suggested that study be given to the problem of encouraging private investment in Asia, and said that the American Government was looking into the matter of capital investment in Asian nations. (4) Mr Casey said that although the Colombo Plan was doing splendidly this was no time for complacency, and one of the urgent needs was assuring the Asian peoples stable prices for their exports.

Mr Casey also said that technical assistance should be increased. The Colombo Plan Ministers are meeting for five days, and it was expected that tomorrow they would begin discussion of a concrete way to ease Asia’s distress and to improve gradually conditions in the region.