PEACE PLEDGES IN BANGKOK

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

PEACE PLEDGES IN BANGKOK

But Confrontation Not Yet Ended (N.Z.P.A. Reuter—Copyright! BANGKOK, June 2. Indonesian and Malaysian negotiators reached limited agreement in Bangkok yesterday on ways of restoring peace between their two countries, but without immediately ending three years of confrontation. Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Mr Adam Malik, and Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Tun Abdul Razak, ended talks which lasted three days by exchanging sealed packages containing proposals to end the undeclared war.

Their agreement, signalled by popping champagne corks, prayer and shouts of peace, has now to be approved by both the Djakarta and Kuala Lumpur Governments.

Both Ministers claimed that the result of their talks meant that Indonesia and Malaysia would henceforth live in peace with each other, but emphasised that con-

frontation had not yet ended. “There are so many aspects of confrontation to solve,” Mr Malik said. The talks had only opened a path that could lead to complete agreement.

He refused to say whether any military or economic

aspects of confrontation would be immediately ended, but said future talks on the issue would include British representation.

Tun Razak pointed out that confrontation would end when the two Government had approved the proposals reached at the conference. He declined to say when Malaysia’s state of emergency would be lifted. Practical Steps A joint press statement said that the two teams of negotiators had agreed to submit to their Governments “the principles upon which practical steps to restore friendly relations between the two countries should be based.” The Malaysian delegation was reported to be disappointed that the talks had not made further progress towards final settlement. 'Observers pointed to the fact that no agreement had been reached on the key issue of Malaysia’s Borneo territories. Self-Determination Indonesia still insisted on self-determination for the peoples of Sabah and Sarawak, the two Borneo states of the Malaysian Federation, while Malaysia continued to demand that no agreement should infringe her sovereignty, according to wellinformed sources. Observers believe both countries face further tough negotiations before peace and friendship between them is fully restored. Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, welcomed the agreement in a statement from his home at Alor Star, northern Malaya, and forecast a quick resumption of normal relations with Indonesia.

He described the Bangkok talks as a great victory which had “removed the threat of disturbances which might have ultimately wrecked the peace of Asia.” The Thai Foreign Minister, Thanat Khoman, said that the successful conclusion of the talks was the beginning of a new era not only for Indonesia and Malaysia, but also for the whole of South-east Asia.