Rogers foresees progress

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32861, 9 March 1972, Page 15

Rogers foresees progress

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) WASHINGTON, March 8. The Secretary of State (Mr William Rogers) yesterday issued a 10-point prediction of “more than ordinary progress” in foreign affairs in 1972 and indicated the United States yvould shortly recognise the new nation of Bangladesh. At the same time, Mr Rogers accused the Russians of showing too little restraint in some international crises and said that United StatesSoviet relations would not be harmonious until Moscow “overcomes its temptation to exploit explosive situations for national advantage.” “We will discuss these issues frankly with Soviet leaders in May,” Mr Rogers said, referring to President Nixon’s forthcoming trip to Moscow.

Mr Rogers spoke in a 621page annual foreign policy report, expanding on Mr Nixon’s February State of the World message, which the Secretary arranged to present personally to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Bangladesh, with 70 million people is the former east wing of Pakistan which broke away when Indian

forces defeated Pakistan in December’s war. Some 50 nations have recognised the new State, including Britain and the Soviet Union, Australia, New Zealand, but not China.

Using the word “Bangladesh” for the first time, Mr Rogers said that Pakistan’s governmental authority there has ended and that Bangladesh “clearly ... is now separately governed.” On Mr Nixon’s China journey, Mr Rogers said that it set a solid foundation for reducing United States-Chinese differences and for progress towards peace which will serve America’s Asian allies, too.

He called for eventual inclusion of “others”—meaning mainly China—in nuclear arms curbs of the type now being negotiated between the United States and the Soviet Utaion.

And he disclosed a previously unannounced United States-Chinese agreement from the Peking trip. The United States would provide more opportunities for Chinese to learn English in his country, and China would reciprocate for Americans. State Department officials offered no further details on the language deal, beyond saying that the programme probably would be worked out between private groups rather than as a formal gov-emment-to-govemment cul-tural-exchange programme. The State Department re-

port followed, in more subdued form, the themes already set forth in Mr Nixon’s message. Mr Rogers, in a 17-page preface, proclaimed 1971 “a year of innovation and accomplishment in American foreign politics” with announcement of the Peking and Moscow summit meetings, the Berlin accord and Mr Nixon’s international economic moves. “Few years will see the innovations or the> fundamental changes of 1971, Mr Rogers said. “Nevertheless 1 look forward to 1972 as a year of more than ordinary progress.” He saw potential for: Further broadening of U.N. membership now that China was in. United States officials spoke of possible admission of the two Germanies late this year, and of the two Koreas and Vietnams later. Improvement of United States relations with India, deeply soured over the December .war. But Mr Rogers indicated that the outcome would depend, at least in part, on whether India re-

tained an independent foreign policy despite her 1971 security treaty with Moscow. Restoring diplomatic ties with Arab states. Relations were severed during the 1967 Middle East war. Tougher action on international drug traffic. Mr Rogers said that the United States would be negotiating with some 50 nations in 1972 for drugcontrol programmes.

His 10 points started with Mr Nixon’s Peking trip with which, Mr Rogers said, “We have broken the pattern of hostility between the United States and the People’s Republic of China.” They included potential United States-Sovier improvement with Mr Nixon’s trip to Moscow, the United States-Soviet offensive-defen-sive missile-curb agreement expected by May, efforts for a Middle East peace, European Common Market enlargement, Mr Nixon’s forthcoming visit to Canada, international economic reform, international drug and pollution restraint and support for the United Nations.