MAJOR DECISIONS CANBERRA TALKS: FAR EAST POLICY

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 November 1949, Page 5

MAJOR DECISIONS CANBERRA TALKS: FAR EAST POLICY

CANBERRA, This Day (Rec 11 a.m.). —Amplifying-the announcement of a meeting this week of Australian, New Zealand and United Kingdom representatives concerning Far Eastern policies, the Minister of External Affairs, Dr Evatt, said that the Australian diplomatic representatives in the Far East had been summoned to Canberra. It is understood that the main reasons for the conference are:

1. To ensure unanimity of British Commonwealth policy in the'Pacific. 2. To define the' attitude of Australia and other Empire countries toward the new Communist regime in China.

' 3. To examine Communist activity in South-east Asia, particularly Malaya. 4. To consider the Australian Government’s suggestion that a peace settlement with Japan is necessary to stability in the Pacific and Far Eastern areas.

5. To examine the effect of the Indonesian settlement on the adjacent British territories such as Borneo and New Guinea. “Australia has invited New Zealand and the United Kingdom to confer in Canberra this week on the South-East Asian situation,” said Dr

Evatt in an earlier statement tonight. “The secretary of the New Zealand External Affairs Department (Mr A. D. Mclntosh) and the head of the Fax’ Eastern Section of the British Foreign Office (Mr M. E. Dening) will join Australian diplomats from all points of the Pacific. “Reports will be received and views exchanged in relation to the whole situation in South-east Asia and the Pacific, the possibility of pushing on with a peace treaty for Japan, and the position in Indonesia.” Dr Evatt will head the Australian delegation.