Samoa May Seek Aid From Communists

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31168, 19 September 1966, Page 1

Samoa May Seek Aid From Communists

<_VZ. Press Association—Copyright i

APIA (Western Samoa), September 17.

Western Samoa’s first bid to the United States for economic aid has failed, the “New York Times” News Service reported.

The Prime Minister, Fiame Mata’afa. said today if his Polynesian nation was unable to get help from the West he was prepared to seek the assistance from Communist states.

standards are among the lowest in the world. “In view of the many millions it has spent on American Samoa, I do not see why Washington could not have helped us some, too.” Mr Mata’afa said he would leave in a fortnight to seek ■aid from Japan and West Germany. He said he had also asked help from Canada and Britain, but without results. Western Samoa receives about £140,000 a year in aid from New Zealand. Mr Mata’afa indicated that Western Samoa needed much more aid than New Zealand could give. “I would not like to do it, but if 1 cannot get further aid in the free world, I am prepared to go to Moscow or Peking," he said.

The Western Samoan Prime Minister visited Washington in July and talked with the Secretary of State (Mr Rusk) about United States aid. He had earlier requested assistance in a letter to President Johnson. “Mr Rusk seemed sympathetic. I left him feeling optimistic," the Prime Minister said. “But last month 1 received a letter from Mr Rusk saying he was sorry but the United States could not help.” The Prime Minister said his request for assistance would have come to “about one million dollars” for

dredging and improving the Sport of Asau on Savaii, the bigger of Western Samoa’s i two main islands. I The capital of Apia, on the S smaller island of Upolu, is now the country’s only developed port. Western Samoa, with a population of 135,000, was a German and then a New Zealand colony before gaining independence in 1963. The Eastern Samoan islands •l of Tutuila and smaller satellite islands, with a population of 26,000, have been a I United States possession since I 1900. ; The United States launched l>a large-scale development I programme for American I Samoa in 1961. The American ■Samoans have a much higher [ standard of living than their •Western relations, where