‘Not Inflexible On Negotiation’

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31344, 14 April 1967, Page 13

‘Not Inflexible On Negotiation’

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright)

CANBERRA, April 13.

The Australian Government was not inflexible over who would be participants in any negotiations for a settlement of the Vietnam war, the Prime Minister (Mr Harold Holt) said today.

“We do not hold ourselves be governed alone by antiinflexible in any way as to Communists?

the method of negotiation, the participation in these negotiations, or the means by which negotiation can be commenced,” he said in the House of Representatives. He was replying to Dr. J. Cairns (Labour, Victoria) who asked what the United States and Australian Governments would accept as an outcome of negotiations about the war. Would the twq Governments accept a situation in which the Viet Cong or the National Liberation Front took part in the Government of South Vietnam, Dr. Cairns asked. Or would it be more likely that the only acceptable outcome to both Governments would be that North Vietnam would agree to sever all connexion with South Vietnam while South Vietnam would

Mr Holt replied, “I have never myself done other than commend any body or organisation which has with good will and sincerity pursued an avenue of peace. “That remains the attitude of this Government. We want a peace which will be just and enduring.” He said he hoped the Opposition would realise they did neither justice to the Government nor the cause of peace by “imputing to the Government a desire to prolong this unhappy conflict one minute longer than necessary.”