U.S. Doubts On A.N.Z.U.S. Pact

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31880, 7 January 1969, Page 20

U.S. Doubts On A.N.Z.U.S. Pact

f.V.Z. Press Association —Copyright) WASHINGTON, January 6. The limited military forces of Australia and New Zealand would prevent them from giving the United States substantial aid in time of trouble,, according to a United States Congressional sub-committee.

The committee today took a generally disapproving look at the A.N.Z.U.S. treaty, the three-power mutual defence pact aligning Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

“This same limited military capacity,” it added, “would also place on the United States the major portion of the burden of protecting our allies from external aggression.”

The committee recommended that the pact be kept under “continuous review to ensure that contingencies which might arise under it are adequately provided for under other ' multi-lateral defence arrangements." The committee is the Special Sub-commmittee on National Defence Posture of the House Armed Services Committee.

Its report was made available for publication by Chairman Porter Hardy, jun., a Virginian Democrat. The report was subject to heavy censorship by the State and Defence Departments, which proposed certain deletions accepted by the committee “for national security purposes.” The committee noted that the withdrawal of the British from Singapore will place tremendous pressure on the United States for increased evidence of presence in that general area. Unless satisfactory land bases can be obtained, United States interests may require the maintenance of substantial naval forces in the area.

The report quoted the articles of the treaty which dealt with joint retaliation to an attack on one of parties, but added that “just how the parties would act to meet a common danger” was not spelt out

The broad declaration of purpose required interpretation as each case arose. “At that time a determination would be made as to the course followed.”

Assessing the importance of the pact, the report said it represented a very real commitment in an area of great strategic importance, “in view of Peking’s continuing overt efforts to forment and support new wars of national liberation in Malaysia and Indonesia.”

It noted that Australia and New Zealand had agreed to participate in the joint Commonw’ealth defence system in the area until 1971, but that no decision had been made about the role they would play thereafter. Evidence before the subcommittee suggests that Australia and New Zealand place greater reliance for their own security’ on the tri-party A.N.Z.U.S. pact than on S.E.A.T.O. “Like all other members in

the S.E.A.T.O. alliance. Australia views with alarm any possibility of retrenchment in United States commitments in that part of the world.

“She is also concerned about developments in Indonesia, with which she shares a common border in New Guinea. It is conceivable that a resurgence of Leftist influence could occur in Indonesia, particularly if economic progress lags.” said the reports.