SEATO’S TASK IN ASIA

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27993, 13 June 1956, Page 8

SEATO’S TASK IN ASIA

Military Commander’s Definition

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) SINGAPORE. June 11

General Sir Charles Loewen. Com-mander-in-Chief, Far East Land Forces, said here today that the South-east Asia Treaty Organisation could preserve freedom in South-east Asia.

General Loewen was opening the third Miltary Staff Planners’ Conference of SEATO.

More than 80 senior officers from' Australia. France. New Zealand. Pakistan. the Philippines. Siam, and the United States attended the conference. The conference, held at the Royal Naval air station at Sembawang. was a continuation of the discussions at Pearl Harbour in November, 1955. and in Melbourne early this year. General Loewen told staff officers that their task was to see that armed aggression against any treaty country would not succeed.

on the military side of SEATO are about collective defence,” he stated. SEATO was a “shield of freedom.”

General Loewen said that SEATO has bee n the target of “hostile comIrent - ~ said certain quarters have accused SEATO of being a “threat to peace.” Others have said that SEATO has no teeth.”

General Loewen said that both these foments ; against SEATO were not t rue - SEATO could not be “militarily impotent, nor a threat to any coun-

desi ß?d as a shield to freedom. General Loewen said. L°ewen said: “Our task on the military side of SEATO is colto be read X. Should the need arise, jointly and in combination. to demonstrate that armed aggression against any part of the treaty ar ea will not succeed. l h V hi ol d thus P rovid ed we intend that the State or nation concerned will be able freely to develop it. Way > of 11Ie for the benefit of its own people and for the benefit of