KHRUSHCHEV ON ANTARCTICA

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28620, 24 June 1958, Page 13

KHRUSHCHEV ON ANTARCTICA

“No Russian Request To Prolong Stay” (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) ) (Rec. 10.30 pan.) MELBOURNE, June 23. The Soviet Government considers that all countries interested in Antarctica should decide jurisdiction over any area of international importance, according to the Soviet Prime Minister (Mr Khrushchev) in the “Melbourne Herald” today. Mr Khrushchev’s comment was published among answers he gave to a series of questions sent him by the editor-in-chief of the newspaper (Mr J. C. Waters). Mr Waters asked for Mr Khrushchev’s views “on the apprehensions of Australians lest the Russians’ request to prolong the Russian scientists’ stay in the Antarctic after the end of the geophysical year is a threat to Australian claims to sovereignty in the area.”

Mr Khrushchev replied: “Your 1 statement about ‘the Russians’ request to prolong their scientists’ stay in the Antarctic,’ seems to be based on a misunderstanding. “We have never made any such request to anyone. The decision to prolong the International Geophysical Year in the Antarctic was taken, as is known, at the meeting of the special committee on Antarctic investigations under the International Council of Scientific Unions, held at The Hague in February this year, and the proposal to prolong scientific research in the Antarctic was submitted by the representative of the United States, not of the U.S.S.R.

“Soviet scientists simply supported this proposal. “As far as our position on the question' of jurisdiction over the Antarctic is concerned, in our view the Antarctic is of international importance inasmuch as its territory and adjacent waters are of great economic value to many States, including the Soviet Union.

“Moreover, according to international practice, all interested countries should take part in discussing the question of jurisdiction over any area of international importance. “The Soviet Government considers that this international practice should also be followed in deciding the question of jurisdiction over the Antarctic.” West New Guinea

Mr Khrushchev also set out the Soviet view on trust territories, after he was asked whether Russian criticism of Australia’s New Guinea Administration was linked with Soviet support for Indonesia’s claim to West New Guinea. He said: “As a member of the Trusteeship Council, the Soviet Union had advocated and will continue to advocate consistent application of the principles, set out in the United Nations’ Charter in respect of trust territories. “The Soviet Union is doing all it can in order, as the United Nations’ Charter lays down, to promote the political, and social advancement of inhabitants of the trust territories, to encourage respect for human rights, and for fundamental free-, dems for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion, to promote development of trust territories towards selfgovernment and complete independence. “And this is what determines the attitude of the Soviet representative on the Trusteeship Council. “The Indonesian Government’s legitimate demands for the return of West Irian, the ancient Indonesian territory wrested from it by the colonisers, is entirely a separate question. “The Soviet Union fully supports this legitimate demand of the Indonesian people.”