DELEGATES' VIEWS

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27592, 24 February 1955, Page 13

DELEGATES' VIEWS

Economic Aid

Emphasised (Rec. 11 p.m.) BANGKOK, Feb. 23. The Foreign Ministers of the eight member nations of the South-east Asian Treaty Organisation today gave their views on the problem facing the *rea and the work to be done at the Bangkok conference. Sir Anthony Eden (Britain) said Britain placed the utmost importance on South-east Asia. He added that it was not yet settled whether S.E.A.T.O. would have a permanent army. The Australian Minister of External Affairs (Mr R. G. Casey) said the Communists were working hard in Southeast Asia, and he described the situation as “urgent.” “We have got to work very fast,” he said. The American Secretary of State '(Mr Dulles) said he would push for "dramatic action” to ‘“put the breath of Ufe into the Pacific Charter signed. at Manila last year. “Our purpose is peace and freedom. ®nd I am confident that we shall here find ways to make that purpose one that will prevail,” Mr Dulles said, Mr Carlos Gareia (Philippines) said the Manila Pact contained broad and

ample provisions for a collective defence system in South-east Asia, but equally important were the provisions that ordained economic co-operation and mutual aid. Mr Mohammed Ali, Prime Minister of Pakistan, told a news conference: “We must step up the military as well as the economic strength of the Southeast Asia countries, but military strength will serve no purpose unless there is economic strength.” He said the dangers of infiltration and subversion came only if there was economic weakness.