Rusk Reviews Unrest

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31028, 6 April 1966, Page 17

Rusk Reviews Unrest

fX.Z PA -Reuter—Copyright) WASHINGTON, April 4. The United States Secretary of State, Mr Dean Rusk, said today that the unrest in South Vietnam resulted from efforts by political groups to strengthen their positions for promised future elections. Mr Rusk, speaking to re-! porters after testifying in pri-| vate before the Senate For ! eign Relations Committee, said the anti-Government demonstrations in Da Nang and Hue were not affecting milit-; ary operations against the ; Communists. Adverse Effect Anything that affected political stability in South Vietnam had an adverse effect on the main job at hand, he said. Senator William Fulbright the committee chairman, quoted Mr Rusk as saying he would regret it if the Government shot the Mayor of Da Nang. Dr. Nguyen Van Man. as Prime Minister Ky had threatened. Mr Rusk gave a vague reply when asked by reporters If the Communists were behind the anti-Government demonstrations. He said he had not seen all the reports about that Several senatoi s quoted him as saying he was seriously concerned about the political unrest in South Vietnam. Senator Frank Church, of Idaho, declared: “The problem again discloses the deen divisions among the South Vietnamese people I think it would be a mistake to use thj Communists as an excuse

or cover for what in reality is a continuing and persistent division among the South Vietnamese.” Senator Fulbright quoted Mr Rusk as saying he did not want to minimise how dangerous the situation was. It was his impression that American troops would not be involved in any action the Government planned to take against the Mayor of Da Nang and demonstrating groups. Senator Fulbright said Mr Rusk did not emphasise the

! “communism” charges made by the South Vietnamese Government. “He didn’t seem to believe that the Viet Cong were in Da Nang,” the Senator said. Mr Rusk appeared before the committee to testify on President Johnson’s request for an authorisation of 3,300 million dollars for a new foreign aid programme, but Senator Fulbright said most of the discussion centred on the political crisis in South Vietnam.