U.S. AID FOR AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27639, 21 April 1955, Page 13

U.S. AID FOR AUSTRALIA

Menzies Reports Agreement (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) CANBERRA, April 20. The Australian Prime Minister (Mr Menzies) in a foreign and defence policy statement in the House of Representatives said that America had agreed to consider supplying part of Australia’s military needs on the basis of accurate assessments now being prepared. The Prime Minister said that in the event of war Australia would send substantial forces to South-east Asia, “probably of the order of two divisions.” It had been agreed in Britain, said Mr Menzies, that Australia should seek support from the United States for her South-east Asian commitments because the Commonwealth naval and air forces were “confronted by deficiences” in regional operations.

Mr Menzies made his announcement - that America was considering supplying Australia with military materials ' near the end of his important statement on foreign policy and defence in the House of Representatives tonight. The Prime Minister read the House what he described as an agreed statement “on the authority of the President (Mr Eisenhower) and the Secretary of State (Mr Dulles) on the outcome of. the Washington talks. The statement said in part: “Our discussions made it abundantly clear that in the general task of preventing further Communist aggression, the United States considered the defence of South-east Asia.of which Malaya is an integral part, to be of very great importance.” Mr Menzies, reading from the Washington statement, then said: ‘‘l raised the question whether in the event of Great Britain, Australia, ‘ and New Zealand undertaking to station substantial forces in Malaya we could be assured that the United States would be prepared to give us effective cooperation. “I was informed that although the tactical deployment of forces would have to be worked out ir detail on a services’ level, the United States considered such effective co-operation implicit in the Pact. '“I inquired further whether because of great differences in military equipment, which have inevitably risen from the great pressure which exists upon our own resources, we might hope to be able to look to the United States for military supply on so.me basis to be arranged. “I was assured that they would be happy to take this matter up with our officials on the basis of an accurate assessment of our deficiencies and a consideration of the ways and means by which the equipment position may be improved. _ , x "In brief I feel assured of complete co-operation between our two nations in defence of our common security and in Resistance to any further acts of Communist aggression.” After he finished reading the statement Mr Menzies said: “That, I repeat, is a statement which has the precise authority and support of the United States or America.” Commonwealth plans for the defence of Malaya resulted in the announcement of a strategic reserve to wl -h Australia would contribute a battalion of troops, various naval forces, a fighter wing and transport and bomber squadrons, said Mr Menzies. , s • “But we also considered what forces would be needed in the event of a ‘hot war’,” Mr Menzies said. “We have agreed that, side by side with Britain and Now Zealand, we must be ready to contribute substantially greater forces .... probably in the order of two divisions. ‘‘This scheme would involve a complete reconsideration of Australian defence training,” he said. “Confronted with Deficiencies” “But with the best will in the world we will still be confronted with deficiencies,” said Mr Menzies. In modern war, he said, military forces engaged abroad should be equipped to prevent the enemy from by-passing them and taking them at the rear. This called for sufficient naval power to intercept hostile small craft in shallow coastal waters, and that demanded that the greatest possible air force should be deployed for army co-opp”? x ion, cutting enemy supply lines md lines of communication. Mr Menzies told the House that in London he had said that Australian opinion would wish British forces would have support “in these vulnerable respects” ftom the United States and it was for this reason he sought assurances in talks with President Eisenhower and his Administration. Mr Menzies told the House that Australian emphasis on the defence of Malaya did not ihean that the defence of other countries, such as Siam, was unimportant. The policy was: “Unless we can achieve strength somewhere, we may end up having inadequate strength everywhere.” Replying to criticism that posting Australian troops to Malaya represented a form of imperialism. Mr Menzies said: “Commitments of this kind are just as much in the interests of Malaya as they are in the interests of Australia. I use Malaya merely as an immediate illustration. There are quite obviously other South-east Asian countries in respect of which a jfrecisely parallel case might be stated.”