'Stop Barbarous War9

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31092, 22 June 1966, Page 13

'Stop Barbarous War 9

(N.Z.PA.-Reuter —Copyright? NEW YORK, June 20. The United Nations Secretary-General (U Thant) said today that the conflict in Vietnam had become “one of the most barbarous wars in history” and it was high time it was stopped.

He said that the sooner peace talks began the better it would be not only for Vietnam but for the rest of the world.

Replying to questions at a press lunch given for him by the United Nations Correspondents’ Association, U Thant continued to keep the world guessing about his own

intentions after he completes his five-year term as secre-tary-general In November. He said he would be “very happy” if the Security Council found someone else for the job. He would be glad to help in the choice which he did not think would present as much of a problem as had been suggested. The United States and Britain have urged him to run, but Russia has not taken a public position. Some observers think U Thant may go to Moscow for talks with Soviet leaders before he makes the decision.

He avoided a specific question about this today, observing only that a visit by the secretary-general to “any capital at any time is sure to be useful.” U Thant, who has been an

outspoken critic of American policy in Vietnam, said he felt very strongly that without a spirit of give and take there would be no negotiations leading to a return to the Geneva Agreements of 1954 “on which now everybody seems to agree.” He reiterated his own three proposed conditions: Cessation of the bombing of North Vietnam. Scaling down of the military action in South Vietnam. A willingness on the part of all those involved to enter into discussions with “those who are actually fighting” including the Viet Cong. “I think these three steps alone can create conditions conducive to the holding of a conference and conducive to the creation of conditions for a peaceful settlement of the problem of Vietnam,” U Thant said.

“I have not made any new proposals in the last few weeks since I feel that these proposals are stilt applicable today, as they were six months ago. The sooner they were implemented the better, U Thant said. “The more we wait the worse will the war situation . . . The situation is very urgent, very critical. People are being killed by the hundreds every day.” U Thant said he had discussed Vietnam briefly at the White House last week with the American Secretary of State (Mr Rusk) but nothing of substance had come out of IL