New U.S. Plan For Aid In South-east Asia

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29051, 13 November 1959, Page 13

New U.S. Plan For Aid In South-east Asia

(NZ. Press Association— Copyright) (Rec. 8.45 p.m.) NEW YORK, November 11. The United States today unfolded a three-point programme of help for Colombo Plan nations for South and South-east Asia for the coming year, American Associated Press reported from Jogjakarta. The scheme calls for more and better assistance in teaching modern technical skills to Asians; new efforts to increase the flow of United States loans, and private investment for development; a broad search for ways to increase exports from under-developed nations.

The programme was laid down tn a prepared speech by the chief United States delegate, the former Senator Mr Alexander Smith.

The Colombo Plan meeting of Ministers opened yesterday with an address by the President of Indonesia (Dr. Soekarno). He said there were pitfalls in extending aid to Asian nations, and asked the Colombo Plan nations to bring besides expert knowledge and skills, imagination, vision, understanding and sympathy, British United Press reported. “It has been said that all schemes of aid originating in the West are only an attempt to redeem the evils of the past by a cash payment in the present, while hoping for a further dividend in the future,” he said.

“It has also been said that they are the present payment of conscience money for past sins, with the hope of absolution in the future,” Dr. Soekarno said.

“To me they are neither. They are a sign of the growing maturity of mankind. It is maturity to act upon the recognition that this is indeed one world in which all men are neighbours and brothers, and that the poverty of one man is the poverty of all.”

Behind the scenes, delegates were stil* discussing Dr. Soekarno’s speech. The correspondent of the “New York Times” reported that “Dr. Soekarno failed today to win unanimous support for his vehemently nationalistic speech.” While the official reaction of several of the Plan’s 21-member countries was favourable, the

unofficial reaction of many, both Western and Asian, was not, the correspondent said. Singapore Admitted

Singapore, which was unanimously elected a full member of the Plan today, would regard aid from New Zealand and Australia in different lights because-of the White Australia policy, Dr. Toh Chin Chye, Singapore’s DeputyPrime Minister, said today. Dr. Toh, who is leading the Singapore delegation, was answering questions at a press conference immediately after Singapore’s election on the nomination of Britain and the Federation of Malaya Dr. Toh, questioned oh aid under the Plan from New Zealand, said: “New Zealand is very close to us and we would be happy to have their help. “It is different from Australia,” he said. This was because of Australia’s immigration policy. “Politically there is the stigma of the White Australia policy which grates on our people when they do not treat Asians with equality,” he said Chairman The Indonesian Foreign Minister (Dr. Subandrio) was unanimously elected chairman of the ministerial meeting today. The Australian Minister for the Interior and Works (Mr Gordon Freeth) proposed Dr. Subandrio as chairman of the conference. Mr Freeth in proposing him, referred to Dr. Subandrio’s receht visit to Australia “which made possible exchanges that proved most valuable for relations of good neighbourhood between our two countries.”