GENEVA CONFERENCE China opposes reconvening

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32676, 4 August 1971, Page 17

GENEVA CONFERENCE China opposes reconvening

fft Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) HONG KONG, August 3. China’s official newspaper, the “People’s Daily,” said today that it was absurd and ridiculous for the United States to seek to convene another Geneva Conference on Indo-China.

In a commentary reported by Radio Peking, it said that the question was not the convening of a new Geneva Conference, but the total, immediate and unconditional with- ■ drawal of United States troops from Indo-China. Today’s statement repre-! sented an apparent aboutface in China’s position as reported by the Australian i Opposition Leader, Mr Gough Whitlam, last month.

Mr Whitlam, who talked to the Chinese Prime Minister (Mr Chou En-lai) during a visit to Peking, said that China was prepared to join in a new Geneva Conference on Indo-China.

The "People’s Daily” said that United States imperial-

ism had been plunged into an unprecedented predicament in Indo-China. Troop withdrawals had become a necessity for the United States, although it still sought to procrastinate.

Peace proposals put forth by the Viet Cong, the Pathet Lao and the Cambodian forces of Prince Norodom Sihanouk had won widespread support.

“It is very absurd, and ridiculous for United States imperialism to seek to convene another Geneva Conference,” the commentary said:. "The 1954 Geneva Conference had been sabotaged by United States imperialism for so long that scarcely anything remains of it at present.”