AUSTRALIA’S PACIFIC ROLE Preference about envoy reported

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33154, 19 February 1973, Page 13

AUSTRALIA’S PACIFIC ROLE Preference about envoy reported

'N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) WASHINGTON, February 18. Australia s newly-elected Labour Government is believed to have indicated to Washington that it wanted an experienced United States diplomat posted to Canberra to take part in discussions on Australia’s future role in the Pacific, United Press International reported. lhe present United States envoy in Australia is Mr Walter L. Rice, a political appointee.

According to diplomatic sources Mr Marshal] ] Green, aged 57, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, who has directed Administration planning for post-war reconstruction in Indo-China, apparently is expected to become ambassador to Australia. Mr Green previously served as United States Ambassador to Indonesia in 1965-1969 during a period of political turmoil. The sources said that President Nixon was reported today to be ready also to appoint new ambassadors to

(South Vietnam and the Philippines. Mr Graham Martin. United States Ambassador to Italy and former envoy to Thailand from 1963 to 1967, appeared to be a leading candidate to succeed Mr Ellsworth Bunker as Ambassador in Saigon. Mr Bunker, aged 79, who has been in South Vietnam since 1967, is known to want to retire. Mr William Sullivan is apparently headed for the 'Philippines, which is marked by political uncertainty after President Ferdinand Marcos’s declaration of martial law. Mr Sullivan is Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian affairs and a former! Ambassador to Laos, 1964-68. Mr Sullivan, aged 50. who

worked closely with Henry Kissinger in Paris negotiating the Vietnam peace settlement provisions for supervising the cease-fire, would succeed Mr Henry Byroade. a career foreign service officer who has been in Manila since 1969.