PM Transcripts

PRESS STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER
MR HECLD HOLT IN NEW YORK 1ST SEPTEMBER, 1966
President de Gaulle's Statement on Viet Nam
President De Gaulle is reported as saying in Phnom Penh.
Cambodia that the United S ates must agree to a timetable for the
withdrawal of its forces from Vietnam before a negotiated settlement
of the war is possible.
The disturbing feature of this statement is that the French
President seems to demand that firm commitments be made for the
withdrawal of American forces from Vietnam before even the opening of
ne-gotiations. It seems that President de Gaulle ignores the basic cause of
the fighting in South Vietnam, which is the agression both indirect
through infiltration and subversion and direct through the movement of
regular armed forces by the regime ini M~ r-tf eighbour,
South Vietnam. Surely any question about the withdrawal of American and
Allied forces should take place within the context of negotiations for a
settlement and must be balanced by guaranteed undertakings that the
people of South Vietnam would no longer be subjected to the aggression
from which they are suffering.
Those of us, like the United States and Australia, who are
supporting South Vietnam have many times appealed for discussions which
would indicate willingness on the other side to move towards a settlement
on just terms based on the Geneva Agreements of 1954.
The free countries of South East Asia have felt a strengthened
security and made noticeable progress behind the shield provided by the
American presence in South Vietnam.
Speaking as the representative of a country situated close to
South East Asia, and with recent, first hand knowledge of conditions there,
I must say that an untoonditional withdrawal of American forces would cause
grave concern among the people of South East Asia.
It is not a question, as President de Gaulle is reported as saying,
of the peoples of Asia submitted to the law of foreigners from over the
pacific. The people of South East Asia understand and welcome the support
of the United States and others in helping themto establish the conditions under
which they can really decide their future for themselves, free from fear of
aggression.