LAOS SEEKS U.S. AID

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28984, 27 August 1959, Page 13

LAOS SEEKS U.S. AID

Arms For Forces Fighting Rebels

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, August 26. The United States is expected to announce very soon possibly today its decision on the request by Laos for aid to help meet Communist insurgent attacks. Diplomatic sources reporting this last night said Laos was seeking such items as tents, small arms, food and other supplies required for the internal security forces.

The sources said th it Laos wished to use more of its 25,000man regular Army in dealing with Communist rebels.

Additional internal security forces were needed to replace Army units which were being thrown into battle against the insurgents. The Laotian request, which President Eisenhower said yesterday was being given urgent consideration, was for supplies to equip these extra security forces.

Details of what the United States would supply in response to the Laotian request—received in the last few days—were being worked out and would be announced very soon, the sources said.

The President was asked at his news conference whether Laos had asked for troop reinforcements. He said the request was in terms of money.

A reporter noted that the Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation had a clause which would allow any of the former States of Indo-China to ask for help from the S.E A.T.O. nations in case of Communist invasion. He asked whether Laos had asked for help and whether

the United States was considering it The President replied that he did not know that the State Department had yet made any declaration that this was in fact a Communist invasion. “Laotians In A Fix”

The fact was, President Eisenhower added, that the Laotians were in such a fix that they wanted some help to reinforce their police forces and internal security units. Another reporter inquired whether the President thought that Mr Khrushchev had sufficient authority to put a stop to whatever form of Communist activity there was in the rebellion.

That, the President replied, was one of the questions that was bothering lots of people. He said he simply could not make an intelligent estimate. He thought a country as large as Communist China could not be controlled as to details of its actions from Moscow.

But, the President added, he thought Mr Khrushchev’s influence would be an important factor.