Neutralism plea to Aspac

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32660, 16 July 1971, Page 9

Neutralism plea to Aspac

(N.Z PA.-Reuter —Cops right .>

MANILA, July 15.

President Marcos of the Philippines yesterday appealed to the Asian and Pacific Council to consider the idea of neutralism for the region.

Addressing the opening session of Aspac’s sixth annual ministerial meeting, in Manila, Mr Marcos said that many nations were convinced that the era of ideological inflexibility that in the past had divided the world into two camps must come to ’an end.

“Impatience has been the

characteristic tone of some Asian leaders who feel that, if full economic and social < progress is to be achieved in the region, it must be spared from the desire of the upper Powers to perpetuate their spheres of influence in our part of the world,” he said. “To counter these tendencies, another ideology, the ideology of neutralism, has arisen.” Mr Marcos added that 1 some countries would go 1 further, citing the Malaysian ■ plan for the neutralisation of ' South-East Asia under the ’ joint guarantee of the United : States, the Soviet Union and 1 China. ’ ”The relaxation of tension between the United States : and China should enable the

Aspac countries to concentrate more on solving their economic development problems,” Mr Marcos said. “VZhile it is too early to assess the implications of China’s so-called ping-pong diplomacy, the mutual attempts of accommodation have had a definite effect on the political climate of the region. “The positive, though still minimal response of the United States makes it possible to hope that the two nuclear Powers will ultimately discover a mutuallyI profitable basis for peace and ! co-operation. “Such a state of affairs i cannot fail to exercise a bene- : ficial effect on the other i countries of the region.”

Mr Marcos -speculated on two reasons for China’s reemergence into the international arena: the first, to prevent the Soviet Union from exercising influence in the region; and the second, to clear the decks for intense competition with the economic might of Japan. “Japan has a tremendous potential for contributing to the peace and stability of the Aspac region,” Mr Marcos declared.

Representatives of all nine Aspac countries —Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, New Zealand, South Korea, South Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines—are attending the three-day ministerial meeting.