COMMENT FROM THE CAPITAL THE COST OF VIETNAM AID IS SHARED BY MANY NATIONS

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32335, 29 June 1970, Page 10

COMMENT FROM THE CAPITAL THE COST OF VIETNAM AID IS SHARED BY MANY NATIONS

(By

C. R. MENTIPLAY.

Our Parliamentary Reporter)

WELLINGTON, June 28.—50 much emphasis has been placed on the I United States commitment in Vietnam that many people tend to believe that only one country is seriously interested in this area. That is whv I asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Vietnam (Mr Tran Van Lam), when he was here for the Aspac meeting, how manv countries had made economic and social contributions to the welfare of the embattled republic.

The detailed reply which he has given me contains many surprises. Excluding the United States for the moment, and leaving out all reference to costs associated with the conduct of the war, it appears that 46 countries have contributed a total of $U5125,444,451 since July 1 1964.

This divides into something over one-third for medical aid, about one-quarter for education, 11 per cent for training, 9 per cent for refugees and relief, and smaller amounts for public works, social welfare and agriculture. The yearly average since foreign aid began has been $U522,800,000. In 1969, the amount of aid was $U525,776,085, increasing attention being given to lon-ger-range reconstruction and developmental activities. For convenience, all values in this article will be given in United States dollars (the international valuation of which is approximately sixsevenths of the New Zealand dollar).

The countries which have supplied South Vietnam with donations and services are: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China (Taiwan), Costa Rica. Denmark, Ecuador, France. Germany (Western), Greece, i Guatemala. Honduras. Hong | Kong, India, Iran, Ireland. [lsrael, Italy, Japan, Korea. Laos, Liberia, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Morocco, the Netherlands, New Zealand. Norway, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, Sweden. Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uruguay, the Vatican and Venezuela. There is also a partial list of 52 private organisations providing assistance to Vietnam. On this list are organisations such as the Council of Relief Services Overseas, the Red Cross, the Save the (Children Fund, and the Viet- , namese Refugee Huts Comimittee. in which New Zea(land is specially interested. New Zealand’s Share

Since July 1,1964, New Zealand has provided aid valued at $2,988,000. It is pointed out. however, that New Zealand’s continuous assistance to Vietnam under the Colombo Plan goes back to 1958. This has centred on student training in New Zealand and medical aid in Binh Dinh Province.

New Zealand’s medical help in Vietnam has totalled $1,328,000. which comprises $996,700 for the 15-member (surgical team, $300,000 for i the Armed Services medical I team of 16 members at Bong .Son, $12,000 for architectural services provided last year for the design of the National Institute of Public Health in Saigon, and $20,160 for medical and teaching equipment donated to the Faculty of Medicine at Hue University in 1964.

There is a mention here of the funds being collected by the Sir Walter Nash Vietnam Appeal to build a children’s ward at the provincial hospital at Qui Nhon, where j the surgical team is working, and of $30,000 in medical (supplies provided direct to the team from New Zealand. On the educational side, New Zealand has given aid worth $1,392,000. A professor of English was provided to the University of Saigon ($45,000). There was a donation in 1964 of training equipment worth $44,800 to the Nguyen Truong To Technical High School in Saigon. About 15 Vietnamese stu-i [dents are awarded Colombo! Plan scholarships of from four to six years for training in New Zealand. By the end of 1969, some 85 Vietnamese were studying science and engineering in this country, the value of their scholarships being $145,000 yearly. The total value of this facet is $1,050,000. Six awards yearly for Eng-lish-language teachers are valued at $50,000; dental demonstration studies at $2000; and a three-week observation tour of New Zealand universities by senior members of the Ministry of Education cost $5OOO. In refugee relief and other

assistance, New Zealand has given $267,140. This includes food aid for flood victims for emergency relief after the Tet offensive ($82,320); and the cost of the five-man refugee welfare team at An Khe ($100,000) Other items include: refugee huts, $10,000; capital grant by Save the Children Fund to Qui Nhon, $25,000; C.0.R.5.0. supplies following the Tet offensive, $11,320: private aid from C.0.R.5.0.. Save the Children Fund and the National Council of Churches, $35,000; study of land registration in Vietnam by New Zealand surveyor, $3500. Only A Drop New Zealand’s aid, though considerable, is only a small part of the assistance which has been poured into Vietnam over the last six years. Australia’s contribution is more than six times ours, at $18,567,000. spent similarly in the provision of medical and surgical teams, other health measures, education and public works. The Australians (built a water supply scheme, developed many road projects, and sent over a great ideal of equipment, as well as running many educational

programmes. Some 424 Vietnamese have had specialised [training in Australia. ! Canada, though not involved militarily, has conjtributed nearly four times as (much as New Zealand, the value of its aid being $11,244,233. Main items have been the fitting-out of a tuberculosis centre at Quang Ngai. and the building. equipment and initial staffing of a physical rehabilitation centre at Qui Nhon (which together cost $2,155,000), plus the production of 20 emergency hospital units, each of 200-bed capacity (another $1,395,000). Training scholarships alone in Canada have totalled 440. including 165 awarded last year—the total being valued at $4,530,000 ; And the little Republic of (China, operating from Taiwan, has practically matched (New Zealand’s effort with a (contribution of $2,689,422. Its help has ranged from the gift of 5000 tons of rice ($1,000,000) to the building of power-lines. Beyond “Allies” Group To illustrate how much wider the support is than by the group of nations known as the Vietnam Allies, it is only necessary to mention that France, the one-time imperial Power controlling the area, has contributed cultural assistance worth

$21,110,846, technical aid worth $5,356,000, and emergency aid worth $30,000. Even this amount is bettered by Western Germany, which has made grants worth $31,893,000 and extended credits worth $21,250,000. This support includes the provision of the fully staffed and manned hospital ship Helgoland, and its annual upkeep, a total effort worth $9,950,000 The ship is in full use at Da Nang and was narrowly missed by Viet Cong rockets recently. The United Kingdom contribution has been $7,010,443. mainly in medical and education schemes. Among the smaller Powers are some whose presence seems incongruous, but which at least have demonstrated where their hearts are. Laos, small, impoverished and overrun, had made contributions totalling $11,167 for the relief of flood victims and refugees. Thailand, itself the recipient of massive aid. has contributed $548,669 worth of items ranging from roofing iron to typhoid vaccine and carp fingerlings. And far-off Tunisia has granted 14 scholarships to Vietnamese students. at a value of $48,000.

lUnited States Aid Unfortunately the United [States effort is assessed in a (manner differing from those of the other nations. Economic and technical assistance (is made available through the United States Agency for InI ternational Development I (U.5.A.1.D.) in Saigon. There i are also the Commercial Import Programme (C.1.P.) and the Food For Peace Programme. [ The Commercial Import (Programme has run as high [as $328,000,000 a year (in (1966), but last year was down ito $198,000,000 All strateIgic or military goods are excluded from this programme. Last year. Food For Peace [ Programme purchases cost something over $109,000,000. I Project -assistance has taken another $150,000,000 annually. It is almost impossible to [ put a figure on United States help. There is also the fact 'that much of it Is interwoven with war-area logistics, from which it is inseparable. The figures given, however, indicate that, though the United States is heavily committed in aid programmes as well as in the actual fighting, it is far from alone in the economic and social assistance which it is giving. The Vietnam conflict has a much deeper meaning, for a far wider group of nations, than would appear from the daily communiques.