Neutrality move
(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) KUALA LUMPUR, Nov. 28. Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to deciare themselves a “neutral zone of peace,” the Prime Minister of Malaysia (Tun Abdul Razak) has announced. Speaking after a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the five countries, he said: “We have agreed to declare this area a zone of peace and neutrality.” The proposal envisages a neutral zone extending beyond the five members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations to include Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and North Vietnam and South Vietnam.
It also requires that the neutrality be guaranteed by the three super Powers— China, the Soviet Union and the United States
Tun Razak said the Foreign Ministers had agreed to a summit meeting in Manila next year after the regular A.S.E.A.N. Ministerial meeting in Singapore in January. A committee of senior civil servants would be set up to work out details of implementing the neutralisation policy, he said.
He would not comment on how the new policy would affect the defence arrangements with outside Powers to which four of the countries are party.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32776, 29 November 1971, Page 15
Word Count
184Neutrality move Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32776, 29 November 1971, Page 15
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