AUSTRALIA TO SELL ARMS TO CEYLON

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32588, 23 April 1971, Page 9

AUSTRALIA TO SELL ARMS TO CEYLON

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

CANBERRA, April 22.

Australia had decided to sell arms and equipment to Ceylon, the Prime Minister (Mr William McMahon) said today.

He told Federal Parliament that a list of what Australia was prepared to supply Ceylon had been handed to the Ceylon Government on request

However, a reply had not yet been received, he said. Mr McMahon was answering a question from the South Australian Liberal member, Mr J. E. McLeay, who asked the Prime Minister whether the stationing of Russian air force elements in Ceylon and the rapid expanding Soviet interest in the Middle East was evidence of Soviet inten-

tion to establish herself as a new colonial power east of Suez.

“My attention has been drawn to the. fact that the U.S.S.R. has agreed to stationing of air force elements in Ceylon,” Mr McMahon said.

He said that the insurgency in Ceylon had been caused by the “real Left wing” of communism. Mr McMahon said that diplomatic representatives of the North Korean Government had been expelled and the Government of Ceylon had asked various Commonwealth countries to supply various arms and equipment. Australia had given Ceylon

a list of the arms and equipment that it was prepared to supply on commercial terms. “We are awaiting a reply and the terms on which they are willing to accept this,” Mr McMahon said.

However, the whole question was difficult because of the position in which the Ceylonese Government was placed.

He said that Left-wing elements had shown that they were dissatisfied with the Government.

He hoped that the Government would soon bring them under control.

Six Russian MiGl7 fighterplanes had arrived in readiness for combat missions against young insurgents trying to overthrow the Government, the Armed Forces commander, Major-General Sepala Attygale, said yesterday.

But General Attygale stressed that Russian pilots would not fly the planes against the insurgents. The pilots and ground crews were in the country to train Ceylonese crews to fly the aircraft. “I can wait for my pilots to be trained," General Attygale said. About 450 insurgents had been killed by Government forces since the fighting started, but this figure was based on a body count, General Attygale said. Intelligence reports indicated the guerrillas were removing many of their dead and wounded, he said. More than 2500 suspects had been captured. General Attygale said that it appeared that 75 per cent of the insurgents were aged between 19 to 22. • The commander estimated that the insurgents numbered about 10,000.