Harbour, Airports War’s Legacies In Vietnam

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31004, 9 March 1966, Page 12

Harbour, Airports War’s Legacies In Vietnam

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, March 8. A port at Camran Bay, I which would be the biggest lin South-east Asia would be one asset left to Vietnam ’when the war was over, the i United States Ambassador (Mr H. B. Powell) said today. He has just returned from two months’ absence, mainly on holiday in the United States. He attended at the annual regional conference in Manila of American heads of missions.

Vietnam had been very much to the fore in the conference, but the economic progress of the South-east Asian countries had also been thoroughly examined. “The Asian Development Bank is a tremendous thing for the area.” said Mr Powell. Another long-term benefit was the Mekong river development to produce power, control flood waters and increase enormously the rice production of the countries through which the river flowed—Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. Airfields and ports would be left as permanent assets for the people of Vietnam as a result of the war.

“The South Vietnamese Army don’t get the credit they deserve,” said Mr Powell. “They have by far the most men committed, engage in the most actions and suffer by far the most casualties."

“We are making more pro■gress militarily than before and the Government in Saigon is more stable than any other since Diem was deposed.” he said. ’They are military men in the Government but they are eager to set up a democratic form of government as soon as that can be done with security."