MILITARY AID SOUGHT

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29739, 5 February 1962, Page 13

MILITARY AID SOUGHT

Adoula Addresses U.N. Assembly

(N .Z J 3. A.-Reuter—Copyright)

NEW YORK, February 3.

The Prime Minister of the Congo (MrCyrille Adoula) today appealed for more United Nations military aid in his African republic when he conferred for more than two hours with the United Nations Secretary-General (U Thant).

It was their second session together within 36 hours. They met for 90 minutes yesterday shortly after Mr Adoula’s arrival in New York.

The Congolese Prime Minister reaffirmed his opposition to a renewed Security Council debate on the situation in his troubled nation. He told reporters at the United Nations that there was no need for Council consideration now of the question. The Soviet Union failed earlier this week to obtain full-scale discussion of the Congo situation, after charging in a formal letter that Western “colonial Powers” were continuing to interfere in Congolese internal affairs.

Questioned on Meeting Mr Adoula was questioned about the possibility of a further Council meeting when he arrived at the United Nations today for the second conference. The Prime Minister said he was still opposed to convening the Council on the Congo question at this time. He disclosed that he would confer tomorrow with the Soviet Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Valerian Zorin), whose attempts to address the Council on the substance of Soviet charges were rebuffed by Western opposition last Tuesday. Mr Adoula said Mr Zorin had asked to see him. “I do not know what he has in mind,” the Prime Minister said, adding with a smile, “He might want to apologise. One never knows among friends.” This was apparently a reference to Mr Adoula’s cabled objections a week ago to the proposed Council meeting The Prime Minister then expressed regret that a “friendly government"—the Soviet Union —had asked for Council debate without first consulting the Congo. After his second meeting with U Thant, the Prime Minister told reporters that more troops were needed to maintain order in the Congo. He noted that some key areas were at present not policed by the United Nations be-

cause its force was inadequate.

<J Thant himself recently appealed to African States to provide more contingents to the force on a "temporary” basis.

Addressing the General Assembly yesterday, Mr Adoula said the establishment of peace in the Congo would be the finest tribute to the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr Dag Hammarskjold, who died in a plane crash in Africa last year.

“We, the Congolese, being aware of the vast service rendered to the cause of peace and the independence of the Congo, are determined so to work that the sacrifice made by Dag Hammarskjold will not have been in vain,” he said.

"The presence of the chief of the Government of the Republic of the Congon at this rostum is striking proof of the recovery that has been taking place in my country.

“It is also a rebuttal of those who. conspiring against the true interests of the Congolese people, endeavoured to discredit our efforts and thereby delay the end of our trials,” he said. Mr Adoula said his Government’s first concern had always been, and still was, the establishment of national unity. The Central Government at Leopoldville had proclaimed its “absolute will to do away with Katangese secession and any other attempts to divide us.” Mr Adoula said. He also criticised “certain foreign companies" that he said had aided and encouraged secessionism, and he said the Government would only tolerate foreign commercial operations if there was no interference by those concerns in its affairs. The Government, he said, would take every measure to defend the Congo’s resources.