Indian Ocean rivalry?

Press, 11 July 1979, Page 8

Indian Ocean rivalry?

NZPA Washington A super-Power display of strength seems to be building up in the Indian Ocean. Five ships of the United States Pacific Fleet are heading for the Indian Ocean to demonstrate “a naval presence” there, according to an official announcement in Washington; and Japan’s National Defence Agency yesterday said a Soviet fleet of five warships had been spotted cruising south towards. that ocean.. Since the Iranian crisis, American naval, activity has

increased in the region, in-j eluding the sending of the aircraft carrier Midway to the Gulf approaches for" several months, President Jimmy Carter has not yet decided, however, to establish a permanent ‘‘fifth fleet” in the Indian Ocean. According to the American Intelligence services, the Soviet Union now has 10 warships in the area, compared with 25 a few weeks ago. The five Pacific Fleet units are the guided-missile destroyer Jouett, the destro y e r-escorts Brewton, Badger, and Rathburne, and the tanker Passumpsic.

I The National Defence sAgency in Tokyo said thq >Soviet ships had been seen -cruising south in the Tsu* t ihima Strait between Japan t kid the Korean Peninsula. - iThe warships, a Kresttl 1 Iclass missile cruiser, a flgate, a landing vessel. 4 i mnesweeper, and an oiler, - hat been observed heading - sotth at a speed of some 1(1 1 kn<ts by a ship of the Mari* tinj Self-defence Force. t Ike agency said it had nd i knovledge of the present - whereabouts of the Soviet! . fleet It suggested the fleet 1 migh be heading for the In* dian )cean.