UN General Assembly
1965

16. The situation in South Viet-Nam has degenerated into naked brutality between competing power blocs. Both sides are fighting in the name of freedom and liberty. We know that what is happening there is not quite right. We know that if the Communists are able to advance their frontiers to envelop South Viet-Nam it will be only a matter of time before the same process of emasculation by military and political techniques will overtake the neighbouring countries. We in Singapore are only too well aware of this. And, because of recent events there, the United States has found it necessary to bring in massive military power in order to prevent the overrunning of South Viet-Nam by the Viet-Cong. But there has recently appeared a perceptible change in the non-military aspect of the fighting. From talk of unconditional negotiations, with the hope that negotiations may lead to a neutral South Viet-Nam, there has emerged a willingness to talk of peace without preconditions. However, national prestige and suspicion are so far proving to be barriers to the commencement of talks.