‘Vietnam War Could End In Year’

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31112, 15 July 1966, Page 17

‘Vietnam War Could End In Year’

<.V Z. Press .Association) WELLINGTON, July 14. The Vietnam war could end within 12 months if iS.E.A.T.O. member countries s fighting in Vietnam continued to act firmly, the SecretaryGeneral of S.E.AT.O. (Lieu-Itenant-General Jesus Vargas) j said today. “What we need are bold moves in an effort to end the i war.” he said. On the stepping-up of military activities by the United States, especially the bombing of oil installations at Hanoi and Haiphong. General Vargas said: “Efforts of this nature will ultimately bring the Communists to the conference table.” i General Vargas said that i the aim of the allies in Vietnam was to paralyse the | enemy as far as possible by the selection of military tar- | gets for bombing. The North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong had done exactly the same thing, he said. “Repeated efforts to get them to the conference table have failed and In the meantime they have continued to send in supplies and men through the Ho Chi Minh

trail. If we allowed this to continue we would be playing ' into the hands of the enemy," he said. General Vargas today had ' talks with the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Kirk). Mr Kirk said they discussed the problems of South-east Asia and the need to do every- I thing possible to establish and develop better understanding between nations. The Vietnam war was not dealt with specifically. "We : felt there was a need to discuss other problems which get overlooked." Mr Kirk said.