‘U.S. Objects Achieved’

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32127, 24 October 1969, Page 11

‘U.S. Objects Achieved’

I (N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) TOKYO, October 23. The former United States Vice-President, Mr Hubert Humphrey, said in Tokyo yesterday that the United States had achieved her objects ; in Vietnam and had fulfilled her obligations to the South Vietnamese people, the New York' Times News Service reports. On a business visit to, Tokyo. Mr Humphrey said! that America had had two! basic reasons for going into Vietnam: to prevent the. spread of Communist armed! aggression, and to give the l

South Vietnamese people time for self-determination. “We have succeeded in | both, Mr Humphrey said. “If the South Vietnamese ■ have not used their time, that’s their problem. We have ’ done as much for a friend as “a friend can be expected to i do." Mr Humphrey, who had I earlier seen the Japanese , Prime Minister (Mr Eisaku Sato), said that the United i States had not lost face in , Japan because she was with- ; drawing from Vietnam. I ‘The Japanese know we ,jare in a disengagement, in a i systematic withdrawal. But 'there has not been a single reaction here that we are in I I the process of running away," I he said. “Everyone I have ! talked to says we have done our duty and met our com- ; mitment." , But Mr Humphrey added /that he had found that the

Japanese were concerned about the direction of Ameri- : can policy after the Vietnam i war ended: they wanted to be * assured that the United States would not withdraw into a shell of economic and , political isolation. Of the Japan-United States security treaty, which is due ,for renewal next year, Mr Humphrey said that it was up to the Japanese themselves to decide whether to continue [ the arrangement. “Both sides benefit from the treaty," he said, "but tbe American people would welcome a chance not to be here.” He believed that if Japan [renounced the treaty she probably would rearm very quickly. "More important than bases is a working relationship in Asia—there can be no progress in Asia without Japan's active support,” he said. “We are not an Asian power, we only have interests in Asia “The United States needs more than might for an Asia policy—it needs a feeling for the area. That the Japanese can give us. They have a feeling for these cultures as !we do not. We jumped into this area without knowing what we were jumping into "In the future, instead of Japan being a partner of the United States in Asia, we will ■be lucky if we are the partners of Japan.”