ROLE OF S.E.A.T.O.

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30231, 9 September 1963, Page 15

ROLE OF S.E.A.T.O.

Nine Years Of Alliance (N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) WASHINGTON, September 7. The United States Secretary of State (Mr Rusk* said today that the combined strength of the Sauth-east Asia Treaty partners was am ple to meet the menace of Communist power threatening the area from the north, United Press International reported. "The persistence of Communist attempts to undermine S.E.A.T.O. offers continued evidence of our alliance's value as an obstacle to the achievement of Communist objectives.” he said. Mr Rusk reaffirmed United States adherence to S.E.A.T.O. in a special statement issued to mark the ninth anniversary today of the signing cf the eightnation collective defence treaty. Renewed pledges were contained in official statements of the Foreign Ministers of Thailand, the Philippines, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, Britain, France and the United States released in Bangkok by S.E.A.T.O. headquarters. The New Zealand Prime Minister and Foreign Minister (Mr Holyoake) warned that the Chinese Communist threat and the situation in Laos and South Vietnam reinforced the need for collective security arrangements such as the Manila treaty. . . . "... The Chinese Communist threat still weighs on the area and both the Communist Chinese doctrinal opposition in their dispute with Moscow and their aggressive attacks last October and November against India must heighten our concern at the possibility of armed action,” he said. Agreement on a limited nuclear test ban, while far short of assuring peace, had given free nations some hope in their effort to attain it, says the Secretary-General of S.E.A.T.O. (Mr Pote Sarasin) in his annual report. There was a continued urgent need for vigilance and preparedness on the part of the free world however.