Australia Rejects U.K. Argument

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31576, 13 January 1968, Page 15

Australia Rejects U.K. Argument

(N.Z Press Association— Copyright) CANBERRA, January 12. Australia has rejected British reasoning on withdrawal of British troops from South-East Asia.

This is clear in a strongly-worded statement which the Prime Minister, Senator John Gorton, issued after his senior ministers conferred today with the British Commonwealth Secretary, Mr George Thomson.

The statement: Urged Britain to consider savings in Europe rather than in Malaysia and Singapore. Emphasised that Australia and New Zealand could not take over the role of British forces in the area. And, left the inference that Australia did not accept the British submission that final decisions were yet to be made.

The statement said that Mr Thomson had told the Australian Government of British proposals for speeding withdrawal of British farces from i Singapore and Malaysia. “The precise proposals will not be disclosed partly because the British Cabinet has not yet—as we are told- - made final decisions and partly because we hope that these proposals may be modified in the light of views ex-

pressed by Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore,” Mr Gorton said. “However, it can be said that the proposals amount to drastic alterations of previ-ously-understood arrangements as to the continuing availability of British forces in the region. “Australian ministers expressed their keen concern at the proposals. “They made it clear —without in any way becoming involved in rancour or recrimination—that they were not resigned to the proposals and could not accept them without protest.” Mr Gorton continued: “They stressed that questions of security were global questions and that it was vital not to damage the security of the South-East Asian region. “They expressed the view that the continued presence of British forces in Malaysia and Singapore could provide a greater contribution to peace and security than the deployment of those forces in the European region, and that if economic considerations led the British Government to these proposals it might be preferable to make savings in some area other than that of Malaysia and Singapore. “They also stressed that Australia and New Zealand did not have the capacity to take over the role which British forces had been playing in the area.” The Prime Minister’s final words were: “Mr Thomson will bring Australia’s views before the British Cabinet before a final decision is made.” Australia’s views on Britian’s military withdrawal from the Far East wouP' be fully considered, Mr Thomson said earlier today. Mr Thomson was speaking at a press conference after he had conferred with the Australian Cabinet on Britain’s planned troop withdrawal. There was a tense clash with a reporter who asked him whether “he seriously suggested” that Australia’s attitude expressed to him today could affect British decisions which apparently had already been taken and would be announced in the House of Commons on Tuesday. Mr Thomson retorted that he would be reporting back through diplomatic channels to the British Cabinet which had been meeting almost daily and added tersely: “The views of the Australian Government will be given the weight Australia carries in British councils—the very consider-

able weight of One of our oldest allies.” Mr Thomson described his meeting with Mr Gorton and his senior ministers as “very friendly in tone—but frank in substance.” Informed Washington sources said that the United States Secretary of State, Mr Dean Rusk, told the British Foreign Secretary, Mr George Brown, during a 2}-hour meeting yesterday that the United States hoped the British Cabinet would act with the utmost caution in wielding its economy axe.