S.E. Asia Security Hinges On Summit

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30196, 30 July 1963, Page 18

S.E. Asia Security Hinges On Summit

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) NEW YORK, July 29. The leaders of Indonesia, Malaya and the Philippines will meet in Manila tomorrow to decide whether South-east Asia is to have peace or a continuation of its cold war.

At stake is the formation of Malaysia, a chain of States embracing Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and North Borneo. This is the immediate problem.

Of greater importance to the 150 million people in the region is whether Indonesia will join the Philippines and Malaysia in a confederation to ensure the area's peace and security. It would be aimed at subversion and could help keep the vast area from falling to communism. There was no doubt Indonesia’s president (Dr. Soekarno) held the key, the Associated Press says. Dr. Soekarno, the fun-lov-ing, unpredictable leader of almost 100 million people, heads the largest state among the three.

After years of courting both the Communists and the West, Indonesia agreed at a Foreign. Ministers’ meeting in Manila earlier this year to join the Philippines and Malaya—both staunch proWestern allies—in a regional grouping to be known as the Malayan Confederation. They called it “Maphilindo" to include the first letters of each country. Indonesia’s apparent aboutface against the Chinese came after months of oral warfare between Dr. Soekarno. and Malaya’s Prime Minister (Tunku Abdul Rahman) over Malaysia. Dr. Soekarno branded the proposed federation an extension of neo-colonialism to perpetuate British rule, and accused Malaya of seeking to encircle Indonesia. Indonesia subsequently adopted a menacing "confrontation policy" and threatened to thwart Malaysia at all costs. President Macapagal, the

leader of almost 30 million Filipinos, also opposed Malaysia, but for different reasons. The Philippines claimed a part of North Borneo and said Malaysia would permit Communist elements to move freely from Singapore to its south border with Borneo. Mr Macapagal proposed instead a confederation of Malaya which would include the Malaysian States as well as the Philippines. Indonesia came into the picture later. The Filipino President, playing the part of a mediator, says he eased tension in South-east Asia by proposing the summit conference. In June, the Foreign Ministers of the three States met in Manila to pave the way for the summit. The Ministers agreed to the formation of Malaysia, provided the people of the Borneo territories were given a choice of self-determination This was to become the condition on which the summit threatened to founder. The Ministers also listened to the Philippines make clear it would pursue its North Borneo diaim without opposing Malaysia. Finally, they agreed in principle on a Malayan Confederation. When the Ministers concluded their conference it seemed the summit meeting would be little more than a final sealing of accords fpr the unity of the three Malay All this changed in the last two weeks. Dr. Soekarno accused the Tunku of breaking his promise by signing the London agreement on Malaysia without assessing the wishes of the people of the Borneo territories. . Rahman answered that the agreement had to be signed before Malaysia could be formed and that he had not reneged on his pledge. The Philippines, caught in the crossfire, has been careful not to take sides. The summit conference may prove whether the three States will sink their differences or grow apart.