S.E.A.T.O. TALKS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29220, 2 June 1960, Page 15

S.E.A.T.O. TALKS

Ministers Discuss China’s Growth (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) WASHINGTON, June 1. The South-East Asia Treaty Organisation’s Ministerial Council will enter the second day of its first conference in the United States today to continue the lengthy discussion at yesterday’s opening session on the growing importance of Communist China.

Speeches at the opening ceremony yesterday were highlighted by references to the effect on Asian and other world problems of the breakdown of the summit talks al Paris.

The private meeting afterwards was given over to appraisals of the situation now confronting the defence organisation

Diplomats said afterwards that there had been considerable dis-, cussion of the political build-up of China and its ever-growing weight in the area covered by the treaty organisation. Taking part in the discussion, the sources said, were the Australian and New Zealand Prime Ministers, Mr Menzies and Mr Nash, and the Foreign Ministers of France. Thailand and the Philippines. Messrs Couve de Murville, Loganat Khoman and Felixberto Serrano, respectively. Mr Nash said yesterday that the hopes of the people of the world had been sharply disappointed by the breakdown of the Paris summit meeting. “Whatever else they might have achieved, I believe the summit powers had within their grasp an agreement on the cessation of nuclear testing.” he said “This 1 consider would have been an essential preliminary step towards substantial disarmament. a step which in itself would have perceptibly eased tension and improved international relations ”

The repercussions of the breakdown would undoubtedly be It throughout the world.

“I believe that S.E.A.T.O. must be prepared to deal with those repercussions whatever they may be,” Mr Nash said. “This meeting is therefore timely and important” Mr Nash said he still believed that Mr Khrushchev desired peace and a substantial measure of disarmament.

He told the conference: “Since I left New Zealand a few weeks ago I have travelled widely and have had face-to-face discussions with many of the leaders of European. Asian and Commonwealth countries. “I believe that all these leaders most earnestly desire peace. They all seek, and I believe sincerely seek, a substantial measure of

Mr Nash said that the hopes of the people of the world had been

sharply disappointed by the breakdown of the Paris meeting. Mr Nash said S.E.A.T.O. should approach the events of the coming year with calm, confidence and vigilance. “The readiness of the member countries of S.E.A.T.O. to fulfil their treaty obligations is, as it should be, a stabilising factor in the area,” be said.

“I should like to reaffirm that New Zealand for its part stands ready to fulfil its obligations under the Manila treaty

“It is a common misconception that S.EA.T.O.'s defensive activities are of a purely military character. Military planning and military exercises are, it is true, an essential part of SE.A.T.O.’s work.

“In South-east Asia, however, that is not enough. If security is to be maintained, a constant effort is also needed to increase political stability and accelerate economic and social progress. “S.E.A.T.O. has done much solid work, some of it unspectacular and not widely publicised, to achieve these objectives “Our chief enemies are not ideologies. but hunger and ooverty Through S tAT.O, as through other agencies. New Zealand seeks to play its part in their conquest." said Mr Nash.