British M.P. Says A Pacific Pact Is Necessary

Wanganui Chronicle, 16 April 1949, Page 5

British M.P. Says A Pacific Pact Is Necessary

LONDON. April 14 (Reed. 6pm).— In the “Daily Telegraph,” Brigadier c Fitzroy McLean, M.P., says that the v first move to check Russian expansion a in the East must be a counterpart to the Atlantic Pact, in the shape of a ti Pacific Pact backed by Australia and S New Zealand as well as by Great u Britain and the United States, and ex- ii tending to China and South-East Asia. Another Pact would also be neces- *( sary for the defence of India and c countries of the Middle East, includ- e ing Iraq, Persia, and Afghanistan. s Brigadier Mac Lean urges the de- t mocracies to take the initiative and d confront the Russians with a strong B system of defensive alliances before it t is too late. He argues that such p action on the part of the democra- p

cies, if taken firmly and in unison, would be much more likely to prevent a war than to precipitate it. “The essentially cautious and realistic character of Soviet policy and Stalin's known reluctance to take unnecessary risks, makes war highly improbable,” says Brigadier Mac Lean. "When at last, confronted with real ‘capitalist encirclement,’ his logical course would be to exchange his present forward policy for a more circumspect line of conduct, comparable with that he followed before the war. The danger lies in encouraging the Kremlin to believe, by our supine attitude, that there is no limit to our patience.”—Special NZ. P.A Correspondent.