Commons Told Of Confidence

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30342, 18 January 1964, Page 15

Commons Told Of Confidence

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter— Copyright) LONDON, January 17. The situation in Malaysia “was serious and could get more serious,” but the Defence Minister (Mr Thomeycroft), who had just returned from Malaysia, was confident that Indonesia’s policy of confrontation could be contained, the British Prime Minister (Sir Alec Douglas-Home) told the House of Commons last night.

He was replying in a defence debate to points made by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Wilson) about the stretching of British troops to meet overseas commitments. Mr Wilson asked for the Government’s view on the ‘‘possibility of an Australian or New Zealand contribution to the position in Malaysia.” What did it think about closer co-operation with the Commonwealth in general on questions of defence policy in the Far East?

What were the prospects of recruiting further Gurkhas or indeed of recruiting anywhere else in the Commonwealth? he asked. Sir Alec Douglas-Home, said Britain had been faced with “very particular” situations in Kuwait, Malaysia, British Guiana, Cyprus and Aden. Wherever a job had to be done it had been done quickly, efficiently and well. Any additional units Britain had to send to any theatre had been provided from reserves in the United Kingdom. They were there precisely for that purpose. Brigades In Germany Britain could still provide at home a fully constituted infantry brigade, plus certain “un-brigaded” units. There had been no need to call on or use any of the several brigade groups in Germany, he said. Mr Wilson had almost suggested it was something improper if Britain did that, but she was fully entitled to do so under the North Atlantic Treaty in any acute overseas emergency. If any situation should change radically, and it looked as if Britain would be involved in something like a war, she would adopt different measures. But on a prudent calculation at

present, she could meet her commitments. The Prime Minister did not refer to Mr Wilson’s point about Australian and New Zealand troops. Lord Lambton (Conservative) said that in times of crisis in Malaya 80,000 troops had been used to fight against perhaps 10,000 guerrillas. It would not be possible for Britain to send 80,000 troops to Borneo now. Not only was it likely that Indonesian activity would increase in Borneo, but there remained the continuing threat to Malaya. There still existed over the northern frontier a few hundred Communists in the jungles of Thailand and it would be only too easy once again to infiltrate into Malaya, he said. Lord Lambton asked where the troops were to come from if the position in Malaysia deteriorated. There was not much doubt there would be a slight re-

location of troops In the Far East and there would be withdrawals from Hong Kong, he said. It would probably take the whole of the present garrison of Hong Kong to enforce, order internally if there were large riots in the colony The withdrawal of even two of the six or seven units there might well put very great strain on Hong Kong’s internal security, he said. Mr Thorneycroft said a political settlement must be found to the “serious and potentially grave” situation in Malaysia. He was confident Indonesia’s confrontation could be contained, but there were no military answers to problems of this character.in the last resort. He said: “You can hold a position and fulfil your obligation. You can give a country which is still struggling to be born an opportunity to find political settlement, but a political settlement has to be found.” Mr Thorneycroft said Britain’s role was honourable, for she sought nothing. “There is no self-aggrandise-ment, no defence of an old imperial cause.” he said. “We are under a treaty honourabaly entered into. We will and can carry it out, but we must seek by all means open to us to try and find a political settlement,” Mr Thorpeycroft said.