U.S. FOREIGN AID

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28478, 7 January 1958, Page 9

U.S. FOREIGN AID

Needs Of Middle East And Asia

[N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) 'Rec. 9 p.m.) WASHINGTON, January 5.

The Persian Ambassador to the United States, Mr Ali Amini, said today the people of Asia and the Middle East would have no alternative but to throw in their lot with the Communist world unless the West offered them an adequate aid programme. Economic assistance given to the under-developed countries by the United States so far had been far from adequate, he said. It had lacked consistency and continuity and the amounts offered had been too small to raise living standards. Interviewed on a television programme, Mr Amini said there was no need for undue alarm over the Soviet satellites, since American technology could be depended upon to catch up with Russia in the missiles field.

‘‘ln fact,” he said, “the sputnik has rendered a great service to the free world by shaking the freedom-loving people out of their lethargy and saving the United States from another Pearl Harbour incident.” In the field of East-West economic competition, however, the Persian ambassador said he was concerned over how Americans would respond to the Soviet challenge in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. ‘‘lnternational Communism is now fully exploiting the povertystricken condition of the people of the underdeveloped world,” he said.

‘‘Unless the free world offers an effective and decisive remedy to raise the standards of living of these people these underprivileged people will have no alternative but to throw in their lot with the Communist world,” he said. “I believe one of the weaknesses of United States foreign policy has been its lack of consistency and long-term continuity, especially in the field of foreign aid.”