Aid Of $40m

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32385, 26 August 1970, Page 13

Aid Of $40m

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter —Copyright) WASHINGTON, Aug. 25. The United States yesterday announced a new s4om programme of arms aid for Cambodia. The State Department spokesman, Mr Robert McCloskey, said that the military assistance would consist of small arms, ammunition, communications equipment, spare parts and training for Cambodian forces.

The programme, which will be paid for out of current foreign military aid funds, is for the current 1971 financial year that began last July 1.

The United States furnished military equipment, mostly small arms, worth sB.9m, to the Cambodian Government of the Prime Minister, General Lon Nol, in the 1970 fiscal year. The arms aid is being furnished to help the Cambodian Government resist growing military pressure from North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces, who started a westward movement when United States troops attacked their sanctuaries along the border with South Vietnam in May. The Senate Democratic leader, Senator Mike Mansfield, today expressed concern that additional United States arms aid to Cambodia might bring a revival of policies that “led us into our troubles” in Vietnam, United Press International reported. “It appears to me the increase in aid, the increase from 11 to 50 of the United States Mission, the close air support in all parts of Cambodia—all these could be a prelude to advisers to administer the aid and then others to protect the advisers.

“I can only hope it doesn’t get out of hand like it did in Vietnam,” he sadi.