SUSPICIONS REMAIN

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31076, 3 June 1966, Page 9

SUSPICIONS REMAIN

(N.Z. Press Assn. —Copyright BANGKOK, June 2. The success of the Malaysian - Indonesian talks which ended in Bangkok yesterday now depends on the speed with which the two nations ratify their secret agreement. The talks were successfi in maintaining open lines bi

tween the two countries—which is something that has not happened before. Meanwhlie, troops along the Borneo border remain where they are and a Malaysian spokesman said that their withdrawal was never discussed. Their role should be passive though Malaysian security forces anticipate further fighting from fresh arrivals of Malaysian Chinese trained in Indonesia—an event which could quickly rekindle suspicions unless both Governments settle their differences quickly. “We do things in our own way, even though other people might think them clumsy,” Tun Razak told reporters. However, this acceptance of the Indonesian trait of talking and talking about a knotty issue is not so inherent in the modem Malaysian minds. Djakarta Prediction Should this procrastination persist to Government approval of the proposals for establishing normal relations, the goodwill already fostered could die amid recurring suspicions. The limited success of the Bangkok talks matched predictions by diplomatic obser-

vers in Djakarta before the negotiations started. Leaders of the new Indonesian Government, though they might be anxious to end confrontation for economic reasons, are in no position to face any implication of loss of face for Indonesia. They must also manoeuvre around some formidable internal obstacles, including the opposition of the politicallyrestricted but still redoubtable President Sukarno. The President is reliably understood to have told the Foreign Minister Mr Malik, before his departure for Bangkok that he did not care how many talks he went to, so long as they all ended in failure. Singapore’s Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, said today that he did not envisage any danger to Singapore as a result of the Bangkok agreement.' The Prime Minister was asked whether he thought Indonesia and Malaysia might “gang up” against Singapore and find itself as a nut in a nutcracker.

“I do not believe Malaysia will ever allow Singapore to be cracked, for I think they know that if Singapore is gone, Malaysia is untenable,” Mr Lee said.