Soviet Protests At Western Pacts In Middle East

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27636, 18 April 1955, Page 11

Soviet Protests At Western Pacts In Middle East

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) MOSCOW, April 16. The Soviet Foreign Ministry said today that the situation in the Near and Middle East had worsened in the last few years because some Western Powers were trying to include the countries of the area into military groups.

Russia threatened to bring the situation in the Middle East before the United Nations “if the policy of pressure and threats towards the countries in the area is continued by the threatening Western Powers.” • The Ministry said: “The Soviet Union cannot remain indifferent to the situation (arising in the Middle East because the formation of foreign military bases on the territory of these countries has a direct relation to the security of the U.S.S.R.”

It accused the Western Powers of striving towards the colonial enslavement of the countries by means of setting up military groupings in the Middle East and South-east Asia.

The statement said the Western Powers were camouflaging the aggressive character of their plans by l the clumsy lies of a Soviet threat to the countries of the area. This threat did exist, but it arose not from the Soviet Union but from the Powers which, under the pretext of guaranteeing security, were setting up aggressive blocs in the Near and Middle East. The Western Powers were trying to reduce the countries of the area to military strategic springboards and to colonial countries from an economic point of view, the statement said. The statement said the Soviet Union could not remain passive in the present situation in the Near and Middle East as it had a direct bearing on the problems of Russian security. “Non-participation of the countries of the Near and Middle East in aggressive military blocs would be an important premise for ensuring their security and the best guarantee against the entanglement of these countries in dangerous military adventures. “Wishing for the development of peaceful co-operation between all these countries, the Soviet Government is ready to support and develop co-operation with the countries of the Near and Middle East in the interests of the consolidation of peace in that area,” the statement said.