Allied Differences On Laos Settlement

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29401, 31 December 1960, Page 13

Allied Differences On Laos Settlement

(Rec. 10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, December 30. The United States admitted today that there were differences among London, Washington and Paris about means and methods of dealing with the situation in Laos, but the differences were “not serious.”

The State Department press officer. Mr Lincoln White, told reporters in a prepared statement that the differences among the Western Powers were not a bar to arriving at a solution. There was full agreement on the basic objective of helping to preserve the integrity, independence and sovereignty of Laos Newspaper reports had said the United States and Britain disagreed about the composition of any government strong enough to give the country stability The United States was resisting British suggestions that such a government must contain elements of the independent and pro-Com-mimist factions in Laos. Mr White declined to be drawn into a discussion of what were the “means and methods” he referred to A British journalist asked Mr White whether the United States supported what he called “the British move” to get the Prime Minister of Laos to accept the return of the thrre-man International Control Commission for Laos.

Mr White replied.: “I don’t know that you accurately reflect the British position” He added: “The real difficulty is the finding of a solution which is peaceful, workable and which guarantees the future of Laos and which, a’jove all. puts an end to ever-recurring Communist interference and threat in Laos.” Mr White said “If there is a basic cleavage in the situation, it is not between us and our allies: it is rather the basic difference between those who cherish freedom and those in the Communist camp, who seek to enslave others and to extend Communist sway and control ” U.S. Flights Stopped In Vientiane, the United States Embassv announced that American observation flights over Vang Vieng. about 80 miles to the north, where Soviet aircraft have been dropping supplies, have been suspended Embassy sources said the flights were suspended since an American C 47 was shot at. and damaged over Vang Vieng on Decern-

be. 27. presumably by a Soviet Ilyushin-14 cargo plane making airdrops at the time. The sources added that the flights would be resumed at the request of the Laotian Government as soon as another plane was available. The plane would have to be brought from outside Laos, if possible from Saigon. The sources said that the observation planes assigned to the United States Embassy could not be armed.

There was no indication whether the Soviet airdrops were continuing. as no aerial observation over Vang Vieng has been made since December 27. Western military observers, who inspected the C 47 after the shooting incident, said bullet holes on one engine and the fuselage were made by a sub-machine gun which apparently was not fired from the ground.

Berlin Trade Agreement BERLIN. December 29. West Germany announced tonight that it has agreed with Communist East Germany to re new their trade pact. The two German Governments —which do not officially recognise each other’s existence — reached their agreement after nearly four weeks of hard bargaining. „ American Associated Press reported. It provided simply that the agreement cancelled on September 30 by the West Germans would go into effect on January 1, as originally intended. Hea» in Victoria.— Temperatures of more than 100 degrees seared Victoria again today in the sixth day of a heat wave which has turned the State into a huge tinderbox. The fire danger is also high in New South Wales. South Australia and Tasmania ' after a week of high temperatures.—Melbourne. December 30.