Vietnamese admires unity

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33709, 5 December 1974, Page 19

Vietnamese admires unity

(From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON.

An impression of the solidarity of New Zealanders, in spite of thendifferences on many subjects, will be carried away by the departing Ambassador for South Vietnam (Mr Doan Ba Cang), who leaves New Zealand today for his new post in Canberra.

“It was my first experience in this part of the world,”

[‘he said yesterday. “I have learned slowly to understand the New Zealand people, and to like and respect them. I do not say this because I am a diplomat, but because it is my true feeling.

“I have been impressed most by the New Zealand sense of closeness, togetheriness — the sense of I solidarity which seems to I keep every New Zealander in ! touch with the minds of the I rest of this community. I . think I am leaving New ZeaI land a better man than when I I came — because I have

learned from the New Zealand people.” He had been unhappy about the attitude of one small Christchurch-oriented group concerned with the release of prisoners in South Vietnam. He said he had tried to explain the South Vietnamese point of view many times through the media, without convincing this group, which, he said, seemed prepared to listen to propaganda and ignore fact. “As far as prisoners-of-war are concerned, we have released all of them to the North Vietnamese, under the

supervision of the I.C.C.S. There was also the problem of the exchange of civilian prisoners. This was also solved, as far as our side is concerned, by last March — but I must say that there are still many South Vietnamese detained by the North Vietnamese, and as yet unaccounted for. “This I would like New Zealanders to know, for it is fair enough that the fate of these civilians should be of concern also to those groups who have been protesting so one-sidedly.” Of his two years and a half in New Zealand, Mr Cang said: “When the Labour Party came to power, all of the diplomatic corps were looking closely to see what chances would take place in this country. With regard to Vietnam, I must say we value very much the continuing policy of friendship and understanding the New Zealand Government has shown to us during the last two years.” He attributed much of New Zealand’s continuing helpful attitude to the late Mr N. E. Kirk, who visited Vietnam and Cambodia in 1970. This proved very valuable, because he had been able to assess for himself the situation over there, the needs of the population, and especially the aspirations of the people. “Mr Kirk was well-known for his feelings towards the poor, towards the underprivileged. When he came into power he just went on with these ideas. We are very grateful to him.” Doan Ba Cang is optimistic about the way his country’s own affairs have gone since the American withdrawal: “We all knew that the American presence in Vietnam would end one day or another,” he said. “Since the Nixon Doctrine was announced in Guam in 1969 we were preparing for this day. So it was no surprise when the day came, in 1973, when all the American troops were withdrawn.

“As you have seen during the last two years, we are able to maintain control of the territories in South Vietnam. We are still under considerable military and economic pressure.

“To those who criticise and find fault we can only point out that the war goes on in our territory — not in North Vietnam. The Paris agreement has not prevented the North Vietnamese from infiltrating into the South with many more troops and ammunition. Their strength in South Vietnam now is probably greater than in 1972.

Mr Cang will be replaced in Wellington in a few days by the new ambassador, Mr Nguyen Hoan.