PROBLEM OF FORMOSA

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

PROBLEM OF FORMOSA

Nehru’s View On Settlement (Rec. 9 p.m.) BANDUNG, April 16. India’s Prime Minister (Mr Nehru) told correspondents on arrival in Bandung that the Formosa problem could certainly not be solved in the United Nations if Communist China “is not there." He said there was no other wav to settle the Formosa dispute except by peaceful means. “Either you do not settle it, or you settle it peacefully,” he added. His personal view was that real settlement of the problem must be by peaceful methods, for war was “much too dangerous.” Asked whether he had brought any specific proposals for a Formosa settlement to the conference, Mr Nehru said Formosa, which was a highly controversial issue, could hardly be discussed as a “specific problem.” Asked whether he had sought assurances from the Peking Government that it would not try to take Formosa by forceful means, Mr Nehru replied: “Who am I to ask for assurances” He added that he had neither sought nor given any assurances. Asked whether there had been recent diplomatic contacts on Formosa with Moscow and Peking and with the Western capitals, Mr Nehru said: “We are always in touch with various governments.” Mr Nehru replied “No” when asked whether India had asked Communist China what its specific terms for a Formosa settlement were. Asked whether the South-east Asia Treaty Organisation would be discussed by the conference. Mr Nehru said: “India’s idea is that the meeting should discuss general principles and not specific problems.” India, at the conference, would “further the cause of peace all over the world, especially in Asia,” develop contacts among Asian and African nations, find common points among them and see how they could help each other. Statiqg that the conference would be able to give expression to general principles, he addea: “You must realise we are only one of 29 governments represented and we cannot impose our wishes on others.”