Portuguese Threat To Leave U.N.

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29713, 5 January 1962, Page 14

Portuguese Threat To Leave U.N.

(N .Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright)

LISBON, January 4.

The Portuguese Prime Minister (Dr. Salazar), denouncing India’s forcible seizure of Goa in a broadcast speech yesterday, threatened to leave the United Nations and to re-examine Portugal’s centuries-old alliance with Britain to see what “positive content” remained.

It was his first address to the National Assembly since the action in Goa. He made no reference to the abortive rising in Portugal last Monday when rebels seized an infantry barracks in the garrison town of Beja. He said Portugal refused to accept India’s occupation of Goa as an accomplished fact, and declared: “The Goa question has still not ended and we might truthfully say it -is only just beginning.” On the United Nations, Dr. Salazar said: “We have a right to hear whether our presence and our collaboration are already useless. I do not yet know whether we shall be the first country to abandon the United Nations, but we shall surely be among the first.” Britain Accused He accused Britain of delaying for a week her reply to Portugal’s request to be allowed to use certain airfields. Britain refused the request. “Had it not been for this delay we should certainly have found alternative routes and we could have rushed to India reinforcements in men and material which we thought necessary for a longer sustained defence of the territory " Dr. Salazar’s speech said the reply of the British Government consisted, in essentials, of the following: In the eventuality of an attack on Goa, there would be inevitable restrictions on the aid the British Government would be in a position to give the Portuguese Government in a struggle with another member of the Commonwealth.

“This euphemistic reference to ‘inevitable restrictions’ had to be interpreted as meaning that the British Government

was excusing itself from carrying out the obligations of the treaties,” he said. Dr. Salazar said, however, “I am among those who are convinced that the British Government made many more efforts and much more urgent appeals in this emergency and aggression than those reflected in the press or directly communicated to us.” The Portuguese Government should base its future attitude towards the obligations that exist between the two countries. The pragmatism of British policy was admirable, but unfortunately,it could not always avoid the awkwardness of painful contradictions. Charge “Misleading” A British Foreign. Office spokesman in London last night described as “misleading” the accusation by Dr. Salazar that Britain had delayed for a week and then refused to allow a request by Portugal to use certain airfields on the route 4o Goa The spokesman said: “This accusation is misleading. The original Portuguese request involved the use of certain facilities which Her Majesty’s Government is not in a position to give without prior permission being obtained by the Portuguese from the host government. “But this was pointed out to the Portuguese Who were, however, told that if /they could work out a satisfactory alternative route not open to this objection, we would consider their request. “On December 14 a new request was received. This was under consideration when the Indian attack took place.”