RUSSIA ATTACKS BAGDAD PACT

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28492, 23 January 1958, Page 11

RUSSIA ATTACKS BAGDAD PACT

Nuclear Free Zone Suggested

(N.Z. Prut AMociation—CopvHaMJ

(Rec. 8 pjn.) LONDON, January 21. The Soviet Union tonight opened a propaganda offensive against the Bagdad Pact An announcement from Moscow described it an aggressive alliance and proposed the establishment of a Middle East sone free of nuclear and rocket launching sites.

In timing and substance thia is similar to the Soviet propaganda which immediately preceded the recent N.A.T.O. heads of Government meeting.

The members of the Bagdad Pact are Britain, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey, and Persia, with the United States as an observer member.

A spokesman for the Soviet Foreign Ministry attacked the United States for wanting to install rocket and nuclear weapon bases and sites in pact countries.

“The United States would obviously like to push back from its territory the possible war theatres,” the statement said. “Official statements, above all by American statesmen, show that particular significance is attached to this meeting. "It is regarded as a sort of continuation of the North Atlantic Bloc Council Session held in Paris at the close of last year.” It said the powers “dominating N.A.T.Q.” wanted to use the meeting to draw member countries of the Bagdad Pact “into their plans, imperilling the cause ot peace.”

The statement said no attempt had been made in Washington to hide the fact that the attendance of the American Secretary ot State, Mr Dulles, at the meeting “pursues the alm of reviving the activity of the Bagdad military bloc, the actual leadership over which is now to be taken by the United States Government” .