S.E.A.T.O. ARMY

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

S.E.A.T.O. ARMY

No American Troops

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) BANGKOK, Feb. 22. A high American S.E.A.T.O. Council source said today that the United States did not foresee any permanent commitment of American ground forces in the S.E.A.T.O. Treaty area such as they had in Europe under N.A.T.O. He said America would rely on her sea forces and air power now stationed in the Far East to cripple the communications of any enemy.

The source was asked whether Asian countries might be rather doubtful about United States reaction to Communist aggression in Asia if she would not station permanent troops in the S.E.A.T.O. zone. He replied that America already- had a large number of forces in the general area, and that the United States felt the Far Eastern picture should be looked upon as a whole. The S.E.A.T.O. organisation would have the advantage of central planning. But America would not and could not have troops everywhere. He said Russia could not either. The source was asked whether America had considered rotating some of her air force squadrons through Far Eastern countries and stationing them in such places for a short period as northern Malaya. He replied that such action would involve the United States in expensive preparation. That made such a suggestion rather' impracticable. But he had no doubt there would be “some going in and out.” He described the chief danger to the S.E.A.T.O. area as not so much the military striking power of China as the threat of Communist subversion.

Role of Japan He was asked whether Japan could be integrated into S.E.A.T.O. He replied that he thought Japan eventually could, but it would perhaps take a period of some years rather than a few months to develop a pact with Korea, Japan and Formosa.

A London message quotes a special correspondent of ‘‘The Times” in Bangkok as saying that nothing was likely to.be decided at the S.E.A.T.O. conference which would add much to the decisions taken at Manila last Sep-

tember. The conference’s only real function, now that all the signatories had ratified the treaty, was article five, under which a treaty council would be set up. The form this body would take and the capital in which its secretariat would be established might depend largely on the degree of''military liaison to be agreed upon. The known American unwillingness to link ground forces directly with the treaty would not make for any important decision in Bangkok. Sefton Delmer said in the “Daily Express”: “.One thing is as good as certain. No kind of standing army is at this point going to be kept inside the area.”

What looked like emerging from the conference were committees to coordinate counter-action to Communist subversion—economic aid and military planning.