WORLD SURPRISE, ACCEPTANCE

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32661, 17 July 1971, Page 1

WORLD SURPRISE, ACCEPTANCE

<N.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright)

LONDON, July 16.

President Nixon’s announcement is certain to cause a major stir in the Kremlin, but there was no immediate reaction in Moscow to the news today.

Fears of Sino-American collusion—at the expense of Russia—have been

expressed in Moscow in the past, and Soviet leaders frequently remind China that Communist nations should unite against “imperialism.”

American Democrats, including the party’s only declared Presidential aspirant, were quick to praise President Nixon’s announcement

"I applaud the President's imagination and judgment in accepting the opportunity to open up more normal relations with the people of China,” said Senator George McGovern. He said he hoped Mr Nixon’s announcement would “mark the end of a long period of nonsense in our relations with China and the beginning of a new era of commonsense.” The Senate majority leader Mike Mansfield, for long an advocate of improved relations with the Chinese mainland, said he was “astounded, delighted and happy” over the President’s announcement. Senator Mansfield said he had no advance word from the White House.

In London a Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said: "We welcome the

news, of which we were told in advance. “Our own relations with China have been improving steadily for the last 18 months.” In Tokyo, the Japanese Government said it did not believe that the move would affect the issue of China’s representation in the United Nations. The Acting Foreign Minister, Toshio Kimura, said that the Japanese Government had been advised of President Nixon’s announcement in advance by the Secretary of State, William Rogers. But Mr Kimura said the Japanese Government would have to hold further consultations with the United States on the representation issue. A Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman commented: ■The improvement of United States-China relations will contribute towards the easing of tension in Asia and the whole world.” SOUTH KOREA Anti-Communist South Korea, heavily dependent on the United States, was upset by President Nixon’s announcement. A Foreign Ministry spokesman said he could not comment on this now as the Ministry had no official report from the Korean Embassy in Washington but added: “It certainly is a surprising development.” Mr Hyung-shik Shin, spokesman of the ruling Democratic Republican Party, said: “The United States Government should take satisfactory measures to cope with complications arising from the rapid development of the mood of rapprochement and the South Korean < Government should work out an independent policy based on a long-range assessment of the future of the Korean Peninsula.”

In Kuala Lumpur a top aide to Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak said: "You are kidding: it can’t be true,” on being told of President Nixon’s plan. The aide then checked with the American Embassy and,

according to an Embassy official, kept repeating: “I still can’t believe it.” Another official said that when Tun Razak was told the new® he expressed surprise and indicated that he might summon a top-level Foreign Ministry meeting to study implications of “these fantastic things.” Cambodia received the news of President Nixon’s proposed visit with mixed feelings. A meeting of the Cambodian Cabinet began minutes after the President’s speech, but there was no immediate official comment

While Cambodia publicly maintained a neutral attitude towards China, the Government privately was angered at Peking’s supply of arms to the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese fighting in Cambodia.

Also, China had granted asylum to the deposed Cambodian head of State, Prince Norodom Sihanouk, who has waged a propaganda war from Peking. PHILIPPINES VIEW In Manila, the Philippines Foreign Secretary (Mr Carlos Romulo), said that Mr Nixon’s decision was “an endorsement of the Philippine stand that we should have a more flexible attitude towards the China question.” The announcement was generally well received by South Vietnamese politicians in Saigon although there was no immediate official comment from the Government. Most of them felt that the President’s journey would be a step towards peaceful coexistence.

(Nationalist China, Page 17).