Soviet Dilemma Outlined

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30980, 9 February 1966, Page 13

Soviet Dilemma Outlined

(ti Z PA.-Reuter —Copyright) WASHINGTON. February 8. There is a growing belief in Washington that the Soviet Union's harsh criticisms of United States policy in Vietnam hides an anxiety to end the conflict on terms which would damage Peking's standing in Asia.

Moscow has denounced President Johnson’s peace offensive and supports North Vietnam in the war, but is obviously worried about China’s dominant influence in Hanoi, according to observers in Washington. Intensive studies of the bitter Soviet-China feud has led many experts to the conclusion that Moscow is indirectly aiding Hie United States —by trying to contain Peking just as America and its allies contained the Soviet Union during the cold war 20 years ago. Both the Soviet Union and; the United States, it is believ-; ed. are gravely concerned over i China’s nuclear capability and

the possibility that Peking will confront Asia with nuclear weapons in a decade or less. Mr Robert McNamara, the United States Defence Secretary, has warned that China might develop medium range missiles to carry nuclear wari heads by the early 19705. Other United States officials have acknowledged that the Soviet Union and the United States have a joint stake in the security of Asia. There are x few officials who are bold enough to predict that Moscow and Washington are moving toward joint action against China, as Peking has alleged, or that the Soviet Union would desert its nominal Communist ally if general war should break out in the Far East. More Signs

On the other hand, the signs are mulHplying that the Soviet-China split is irreparable, and that peaceful co-exis-tence embraced by both Washington and Moscow will benefit in spite of the growing coolness between them as a result of the Vietnam war.

Observers who detect Soviet anxiety over Vietnam say that China ’ is intent on bleeding Hanoi bv urging it to fight on to the death, but the Soviet Union has given it military

and economic aid so that it can exercise greater influence at any Vietnam peace conference. United States officials, while cautious in forecasting the future, are impressed by the [recent trend of events which . emphasise the parallel courses being pursued by Soviet and American diplomacy. The most notable example of this was the Indian-Pakis-tan agreement a goal of the United States, which was achieved under Soviet auspices at Tashkent last month in the face of Chinese pressure against India.