Navy chief warns against Soviet activity

Press, 5 June 1982, Page 22

Navy chief warns against Soviet activity

NZPA Singapore Non-Communist SouthEast Asian countries and their allies must maintain their close military relationship in the face of increasing Soviet naval activity in the region. New Zealand's Navy chief. Rear-Admiral K. Sauli, has said in Singapore. “It is important that we maintain our continued association, not only in military exercises but also through exchanges at senior level," he said. But Admiral Sauli, who is on a South-East Asian tour, said that there was no military contingency plan to deal with any emergency arising out of the Soviet presence. Admiral Sauli said that the Soviet Union had established a significant naval base in southern Vietnam, but its plans were not clear. “The Soviet Union started

out using Cam Ranh Bay (in southern Vietnam) as a visiting and refuelling base. But it has steadily improved its naval facilities there. “It is difficult to decide whether the Russians have established a permanent base. But they clearly have facilities for naval operations." he said. The Five-Power Defence Arrangement had made plans to deal with any possible Soviet threat. There were now contingency plans to deal with that sort of thing.

“We should understand one another militarily and develop confidence among ourselves so that if the need arises we can work together," Admiral Sauli said. The arrangement members are New Zealand. Australia. Britain, Singapore and Malaysia.