SEATO TALKS BEGIN

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27911, 7 March 1956, Page 13

SEATO TALKS BEGIN

Answer To Soviet Drive Sought

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 11 p.m.) KARACHI, March 6. Foreign Ministers of the eight South-east Asian Treaty nations opened secret talks today less than two hours after meeting to consider their answer to Russia’s drive to influence Asia into the Communist camp. At the opening public session, the Ministers emphasised the defensive character of the 18-month-old treaty, their determination to resist any aggression, and their support for improving the economic welfare of the Asian people. Mr Sehvyn Lloyd, the British Foreign Secretary, set out the aims of SEATO in his opening address: “We believe that this treaty organisation provides the framework of security and stability within which the peoples of Southeast Asia can work out their own destinies in friendly co-opera-tion with those who genuinely wish to help,” he said.

Mr Dulles, the American Secretary of State, spoke similarly. “It is important for us here to develop not only those aspects of our organisation which deter armed aggression, but also those aspects of SEATO which help members combat subversion and develop wholesome societies, immune from Communist infection.” he said. The Pakistan Prime Minister (Mohamed Ali) opened the first session of the Ministerial Council. The three-day council session is the first since Marshal Bulganin and Mr Khrushchev toured neutral states of the region. condemnir.fi Western “colonialism” and making political and economic gestures designed to win friendship among the Asian peoples.