New A.L.P. line

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32637, 19 June 1971, Page 17

New A.L.P. line

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) LAUNCESTON (Tasmania), June 18.

The Opposition Australian Labour Party may delete all references to the Australia-United States alliance and the South-East Asian Treaty Organisation from its party platform.

The party’s foreign affairs and defence committee will present this recommendation to the national conference of the party in Launceston next week. If adopted, this would represent a radical change in A.L.P. foreign policy, as the importance of the AustraliaUnited States alliance has been stressed in the party platform since 1957. The committee recommends deletion of part of thej policy which says the! alliance is “of crucial importance.” It would also repeal two other sections of the platform which state that the

alliance with the United States and New Zealand (A.N.Z.U.S.) is essential and that the South-East Asia col- 1 lective defence treaty is not operating to ensure peace in South-East Asia.

As a new policy, the committee recommends that the Labour Party should seek “close and continuing cooperation with the people of the United States to make the A.N.Z.U.S. treaty an in-1 strument for justice and I peace and political, social and economic advancement in the Pacific area.” The emphasis is on cooperation with the “people” rather than with the “Government” of the United States, an important change. The policy also says that the party will co-operate ini the development of South-1 East Asia and the Pacific and Indian Ocean areas to “strengthen the fabric of peace and freedom and uphold the principles of democracy, individual, liberty and ; the rule of law and promote i economic well-being and development.”