COUNCIL OF SEATO WILL MEET SOON AT KARACHI

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27860, 7 January 1956, Page 13

COUNCIL OF SEATO WILL MEET SOON AT KARACHI

(New Zealana Press Association)

WELLINGTON, January 6. The second meeting of the SEATO Council of Ministers will be held in Karachi early in March. The Minister of External Affairs (Mr T. L. Macdonald) announced this today. “The SEATO Council, comprising the Foreign Ministers of the eight SEATO member countries —Australia, France, New Zealand. Pakistan, the Philippines, Siam, Britain, and the United States —is the principal body of the SEATO organisation,” he said. “The first meeting, which was held at Bangkok from February 23 to 25, 1955, was concerned principally with questions of organisation and procedure. “The Manila Treaty did not specify the machinery to give effect to its military political and economic provisions. These points were therefore dealt with at the first meeting,” said the Minister.

“It is to be expected that this second meeting will review SEATO activities over the last year. Several committees, both civil and military, have held meetings, and continuing consultation has been held through the council representatives, who meet regularly in Bangkok. “The council will consider the recommendations and the work of these committees, studying any weaknesses that may have been revealed, and discussing ways and means of improving the organisation,” the Minister said. “There will also • be an opportunity to review the changes area, and any factors that affect its stability. “The Manila Treaty is an important

that have taken place in the treaty factor in New Zealand's security,” said Mr Macdonald. “We are eager to see the progress which has already been made in the last year, continued and accelerated. The outlook now is perhaps not as dark as in 1954, when North Vietnam fell into the hands of the Vietminh, but much remains to be done in building resistance to the threat of aggression in the area. “It has already been shown that ♦he SEATO countries can co-operate in harmony at all levels of their work. This positive spirit will continue at the council meeting, for I know that all my SEATO colleagues are convinced of the importance of our work, and I am hopeful of good results,” Mr Macdonald concluded.