BRITAIN READY FOR TALKS

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30681, 22 February 1965, Page 13

BRITAIN READY FOR TALKS

(By

ELIZABETH BERKER)

There are three strands in the British Government’s policy towards the present crisis in Vietnam. One is full understanding for the American decision to react against attacks by the Viet Cong on the American forces which are helping to defend the independence of South Vietnam. Another is close and constant consultation with the American Government about the future. Finally, the British Government is holding itself in readiness to work for peaceful negotiation as soon as the time is ripe: this could involve joint action with Soviet Russia. It is beyond doubt that the Communist-led Viet Cong guerrillas, who are trying to destroy the Government and administration of South Viet-

nam, are the agents of the. North Vietnamese Govern-1 ment in Hanoi. It is the North Vietnamese; who train and arm the Viet; Cong and stiffen their cadres, and who make the whole vast | guerrilla operation possible. 1 The position is in some ways; “ I like the Greek civil war, 17; o | years ago. e The Greek Communist’s j; rebel forces at one time appeared so strong that they 3 threatened to overthrow the f Greek Government; yet, the moment they were deprived .of support from beyond Greece’s northern frontier, 5 the rebellion rapidly colt lapsed. The Americans in South - Vietnam, when attacked by i! the Viet Cong, were faced I -!with the problem of fighting: an invisible enemy ■; bevond the border, t In self defence, they took the logical and necessary ‘ action: they struck back, by; l air, against targets over the > border which were supply' • points or supporting areas for ■ the Viet Cong.

The situation with which the Americans have been confronted is in certain respects similar to the one which may develop if President Sukarno steps up his effort to start up widespread guerrilla action inside Malaysian territory, based on infiltration and support from Indonesia. Against Malaysia, as against South Vietnam, an outside power is trying to carry out aggression through the agency of a guerrilla movement and to use civil war as a cloak for aggression. It is a technique which has been used in the past, and will certainly be attempted in the future, against many other countries, as well as South Vietnam and Malaysia. It could create an even graver threat to international peace in the years ahead, as would-be aggressors try to find roundabout ways to evade the stern logic of what is sometimes called “the nuclear stalemate.” It is therefore particularly important that this technique ; of indirect aggression should

be exposed and resisted now, as the Americans have done in Vietnam. The British regard it as equally important that Indonesian attempts at aggression should be resisted by Malaysia. with the help of Britain and other Commonwealth countries. Otherwise, in the long run. the independence of many other countries elsewhere, especially young and relatively weak states, will come to be regarded as easy prey for rapacious or unscrupulous neighbours. Yet resistance does not mean unwillingness to negotiate provided always that it is not negotiation at pistol point. It is for this reason that the British Foreign Secretary has made it clear he does not think the time has come to call for an immediate initiative to end the war. He made it clear that Viet Cong attacks will have to stop before there can be a beginning to any discussion of a settlement.—(British Infor-1 mation Services). I