Mr Hayden sounds Philippines warning

Press, 24 February 1986, Page 5

Mr Hayden sounds Philippines warning

NZPA-AAP Brisbane

The A.N.Z.U.S. pact could be invoked if American forces were attacked by guerrillas in the Philippines, says the Australian Foreign Minister, Mr Bill Hayden. 4

He said that there could be dismal consequences for the Philippines if the Government or a future Government there did not change the power structures.

The situation in the Philippines gave his Federal Government great concern. This was also felt by countries in the region and other Western nations, Mr Hayden said.

The preamble of the A.N.Z.U.S. treaty specifically mentioned American Armed Forces in the Philippines and Japan.

There seemed little

doubt that attack on American forces as specified in the preamble could be ground for activating Article IV of the treaty. Under this article, each party considered an armed attack on the others to be dangerous to its own security and declared that it would act to meet the common danger.

“Invocation of A.N.Z.U.S. would be entirely unlikely, but reference to it illustrates a point,” he said. “What I’m saying is that we have reasons of selfinterest as well as moral sensibility for being so concerned about current events in the Philippines and their possible consequences.” In Canberra, the Australia Democrats leader, Senator Don Chipp, said Mr Hayden’s comments

were the most outrageous and frightening made by an Australian Foreign Minister since the Vietnam War.

“I believe Mr Hayden ought to declare now whether or , not he has been sounded out by the Americans as to what Australia ' would do if guerrillas did attack Subic Bay and other bases,” Senator Chipp said. It seemed Mr Hayden had already given the Americans the interpretation of A.N.Z.U.S. they wanted.

“Is Mr Hayden preparing us for a disclosure that we are already committed?” he asked.

Senator Chipp promised the biggest protest and street marches in Australia’s history if the Federal Government intended to send Australian troops to fight America’s wars.