Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-17
SEATO's Proqress

4AC 6OutllCdok ASIA 4ICdGy 0ISdAAAnd-
ton is only is months old, but it has
made encouraging military, political and
economic progress since it came into be-
ing with the signing of the Manila treaty
In September of 1854. Such, at any rate,
is the unanimous Judgment reached at the
Karachi, Pakistan, meeting of SEATO's
council, which Is made up of the foreign
ministers of the eight member nations
These nations, in addition to Paki-
stan. include Thailand, the Philippines,
Australia, New Zealand, France, Britain
and the United States. They are banded
together in an alliance whose prime OBJ
tective is to preserve peace and freedom
In Southeast Asia and the Southwest
Pacific. And they are committed, to that
end, to cooperate in firm program OF
mutual assistance covering the economic
and political as well as the military fields.
Their purpose, in short, is to render them
selves collectively secure against the
threat of Communist subversion or ag-
erosion, and at the same time to promote
their common material well-being.
One of the most noteworthy results
of the Karachi conference is the complete
unanin1ity of view expressed as regards
the so-called "new strategy" Of the Com
munistS. Thus, in the words of the formal
communique summing up the work &C
complished at the councils three-day
meeting, the eight SEATO members have
observed how the Reds have been placing
increasing reliance on political and eco
nonic inf1ltration" instead of on direct
violence. At the same time, however, the
alliance has made a special point OF
StresSing the fact that this shift In tactics
has been "unaccompanied by any con-
vincing evidence Of intent to abandon
efforts to Subvert, weaken and overthrow
the political, economic and social systems
which have been freely chosen by the
peoples of the area"
Moreover, in connection with this
thoroughly sound evaluation of commu-
nism's seeming" tactical change, the
SEATO allies have used admirably blunt
words in deploring "the statements and
interventions by Soviet leaders in recent
months to increase tension and promote
division in Asian communities and among
other nations Of the free world" And
getting down to specific cases, with argu-
ments based solidly on international law,
the Karachi conference has made clear
despite Moscow's position to the contrary
that Afghanistan has no right to de-
mand that Pakistan's northwestern terri
tory be converted into separate Pathan
state. It has made clear, too, that the
dispute over Kashmir should be settled
in the United Nations or through direct
Pakistani-Indian negotiations-a call for
fair and just dealing of sort that the
Nehru government has no reason to resent
or fear.
In dealing with such issues as these,
SEATO has demonstrated at Karachi
degree of unity that augurs well for it's
future. True, 1t still has long and diff
cult road to travel before it can hope to
be comparable in strength to the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization. Even so,
in its less than two years of existence, it
has already built up enough political,
economic and military muscle to show
that it can become-if its members hold
fast together and do all the things that
need to be done-a powerful defensive
shield and mutually enriching enter
prise for all the free nations of Asia and
the Far Pacific.