HOPES RISING OVER LAOS

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29827, 21 May 1962, Page 11

HOPES RISING OVER LAOS

New Talks Among Princes Possible (Af.z Press Assn. —Copyright, LONDON, May 19. Hopes rose in Washington today for a peaceful settlement in Laos, and in Moscow Western diplomats believed the crisis in the kingdom might be on the wane, Reuter reported. In both capitals it was taken as a hopeful sign that there had been no further significant fighting since the Left-wing Pathet Lao Nam Tha, in the north of the country, a week ago.

Washington observers thought the prospects of resumed negotiations on a cpalition government among the princely leaders of the three Laotian factions were better. The three Princes are Souvanna Phouma. the neutralist, Souphanouvorfg the Pathet Lao leader and Boun Oum. the Right-wing Prime M’nister The observers noted as another optimistic sign Prince Souvanna’s departure from London fo r Laos today Russia Thought Sincere

Western circles in Moscow believed the Soviet Union was sincere in saying it wanted a neutralist government for Laos. Reuter’s correspondent reported General Pau) Harkins, the Un ted States , military ass stance commander in Thailand and South Vietnam todav visited American marines stationed near the* Thai border with Laos He flew to Udorn. north-east Thailand. where the marines are encamped 50 miles south of the Mekong river frontier opposite the Laotian capital of V : entiane Informed sources said in Washington last night there was no limit fixed for the number of United States servicemen who might be sent to Thailand to guard the coun'ry from a Communist attack The programme had been referred 'to officially as involving about 5010 Army Marine and Air Force personnel. 'he Associated Press reported, but in fact there was no ceiling set on the size of the force How many more men might be sent depends .on requirements as seen by the Thai Government. United States military leaders in Thailand the headquarters of the Pacific command and Washington. Government sources explained- They

cautioned against predicting any specific figure for possible additional strength, saying it could turn out to be 3000 or 5000 or 13.000—-or any other size Troops Arriving Deployment of the initial 5000 men continued over the .week-end. Units of Armytroops flew out of the 25th Division in Hawaii and landed in Thailand The Army’s 1000-man battle group has moved up from a training area used during recen- joint exercises with South-east Asia Treaty Organisation fS.E.A.TO.t units It is m position 40 miles west of Khorat. a rail-highway-air junction point, from which they could be moved swiftly north or east From Communist China, came a warning that the dispatch of United States forces to South-east Asia could not be ignored and that China “absolutely cannot permi' establishment of a bridgehead" in South-east Asia bv the United States But without Soviet help. China could encounter deep trouble in an attempt to move into Laos and on into Thailand. in spite of her masses of manpower. A.P reported.

The routes from China into Laos from the north are primitive even by Asian standards. Mountainous terrain and jungles stand along, and south of the China-Laos bor der. Recently China started construction of a highway extending for a short distance into Laos.