VIETNAM STRENGTH U.S. Consults Allies

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32060, 7 August 1969, Page 13

VIETNAM STRENGTH U.S. Consults Allies

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, August 6. The United States Administration, preparing for another announcement about the reduction of American troop strength in Vietnam later this month, has been consulting its Allies—Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and the Philippines—about eventual reductions in their forces, the New York Times News Service reports.

But senior officials in Washington stress that there are no plans at present to correlate such reductions with the next made by America.

The “Washington Post” reports today that the United States and South Vietnam have agreed, in principle, that up to 50,000 more American troops could be withdrawn from Vietnam by the end of 1969, and more in 1970. The issue gained public attention last week when Thailand’s Foreign Minister (Thanat Khoman) said that his Government would like to withdraw its 11,600 men from Vietnam; but he gave no time-table. State Department officials say that the Thai leaders raised the issue during their recent meetings with President Nixon in- Bangkok, and

that there have also been discussions with other allies. But the officials stress that Washington has not felt serious pressure from allies for reductions in the number of their forces in Vietnam, related to Mr Nixon’s next announcement of American withdrawals. The White House today denied reports that Mr Nixon had already decided on a specific number of men. “There will be an announcement on troop replacements later in August,” Mr Ronald Ziegler, the White House press secretary, told reporters yesterday. “But no decision has been made yet.” The White House, the State Department and the Pentagon still refer to reductions in terms of the “replacement” of American troops by South Vietnamese forces, rather than “withdrawal” of American troops in response to progress at the Paris peace talks, or the lower level of enemy action. This is taken as an indication that Washington remains sceptical that the enemy has begun the process of mutual disengagement and withdrawal.