“Vietnam War Not An Obscure Struggle”—P.M.

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30802, 14 July 1965, Page 10

“Vietnam War Not An Obscure Struggle”—P.M.

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, July 13.

“This conflict cannot be dismissed as an obscure struggle in some remote country which is of nd concern to us and whose people we can sacrifice in the hope that appeasement of Communist ambitions will bring peace.”

So said the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) in the introduction to the Government White Paper on Vietnam, tabled in Parliament today.

“I believe the present war in Vietnam' is one which raises issues fjeeply affecting the welfare and security of New Zealand,” Mr Holyoake said.

In his introduction to the 72-page White Paper, the Prime Minister said that the Government had carefully assessed the significance of developments in Vietnam and he presented a justification of the Government’s decision to send the artillery battery to South Vietnaqi.

“This government, and the people which it represents are not militarist in nature We have never rushed precipitately into conflict, but have always carefully assessed the rights and wrongs involved,” he said. Mr Holyoake said the Government believed in tl '.s case that “the consequences of inaction on the part of countries friendly to the people of Vietnam would be grievous indeed.” The extent of external direction and .support, he said, was such as to constitute aggression. What was happening in Vietnam was not just a civil war. “The Viet Cong Communist insurgents in the Republic of Vietnam owe the effectiveness that they have had in undermining the Government in the south primarily to the combination of terrorism and external support. THREAT

“We believe that this constitutes a clear form of aggression, a new form of war externally supported guerrilla warfare or, to use the Communist phrase, a ‘war of national liberation’ —which poses just as much a thread to the victim of that aggression and to other countries as would any other, form of aggression and calls just as imperatively for effective defence.”

Mr Holyoake said that the Communists themselves had made no secret of what they hoped to obtain through what they called “wars of national liberation.” “New Zealand cannot remain indifferent to this ag gression. We are a small State dependent in the last resort on the support of others for our own security “It would be short sighted in the extreme for us to stand idly by while another small State is overthrown by military attack in flagrant violation of the principles of international law and of the clear provisions of an internationally accepted agreement."

Mr Holyoake said that assistance in containing and defeating aggression was not a new departure for New Zealand. “We have always actively upheld the principle of collective security. “It is this same principle of collective security we are maintaining today, in Vietnam and in Malaysia, where m the absence of conditions enabling the United Nations to take action to restore peace, collective international action is nonetheless being mounted with a clear defensive purpose, fully in conformity with the objectives of the United Nations.”

Mr Holyoake said the Government had, in making the decision to send a unit to Vietnam, considered defence obligations elsewhere. “The Government has clearly stated that among its defence obligations and commitments in South-east Asia, Malaysia has first priority. “The Government has, how-

ever, concluded, on the basis of its professional advice, that the commitment of an artil lery battery to the Republic of Vietnam in no way detracts from our ability to sustain our forces in Malaysia and to continue to give assistance there." Mr Holyoake said that the loss of Vietnam would deal “a heavy blow to the confidence of other countries in the effectiveness of collective action against Communist pressure. “The entire free world position in South-east Asia would be jeopardised,” he said INDONESIA The Prime Minister said it was no accident that Indonesia's policies were at present closely in tune with those of China and North Vietnam. »

“North Vietnamese aggression against South Vietnam and Indonesia’s confrontation of Malaysia are indeed closely comparable." One example was that in both cases armed action had been mounted across an international frontier with the intention of building up guerrilla bands and mounting terrorist attacks. A second example was that both had rejected United Nations’ principles and the possibilities that organisation offered for settling disputes If could not be left to other countries to assist Vietnam on the argument that whatever New Zealand did could be of only marginal impact, Mr Holyoake said “What matters is that we play our fair part. By giving military assistance, the New Zealand Government is in no

sense weakening the search for peace. The road to peace lies open whenever North Vietnam chooses to take it “Had North Vietnam been prepared to settle for peace it could have had it within days." Mr Holyoake said. The Prime Minister said it was no use declaiming there could be no military solution in Vietnam.

“It is necessary to prove that to the Communists, for it is they and they alone who seek a military solution." The Government believed Mr Holypake said, that the sending of a unit to Vietnam would not damage New Zealand's reputation in Asia. “On the contrary, it is clear that the people of Asia are increasingly appreciative of the threat from China and of the need to uphold the principle of law."