‘No Trial In View’

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31121, 26 July 1966, Page 17

‘No Trial In View’

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter—Copyright) NEW YORK, July 25. North Vietnam has no plans at the present time for putting captured United States airmen on trial, according to a cable from President Ho Chi Minh to the Columbia Broadcasting System.

A C.B.S. spokesman said yesterday that the cable which read “No trial in view” arrived in reply to a cable C.B.S. sent to President Ho Chi Minh last week.

i But he warned in a television interview that mistreatment of the pilots would strengthen the determination of the American people to support President Johnson's policy in Asia. Mr Harriman said Washington did not know the exact

Vietnam. He said one of the stumbling blocks was that Hanoi did not admit that any of its forces were engaged in the south. North Vietnam’s new committee on American “war crimes” has held its first meeting and issued a communique charging that “United States imperialists . . . are the guiltiest war criminals of the present time,” United Press International reported. U.K. DENOUNCED

The cable asked: ‘‘Would you kindly advise us so that we may in turn advise the people of America whether you have decided as yet to place on trial the captive American airmen.” In a second question C.B.S. asked the Hanoi leader:

The official North Vietnam News Agency said the recently established committee began its investigation during the week-end. The North Vietnamese also denounced Britain’s Labour Government today and charged that it has betrayed its position as co-chairman of the 1954 Geneva conference on Indo-China by becoming an "accomplice of the United States aggressors.”

“Could you also advise us under what conditions, in your opinion, peace could return to Vietnam?” C.B.S. said President Ho Chi Minh replied: “The American Government sends troops to wage barbarous war against Vietnamese people causing immense suffering, death and destruction. Let the United States stop aggression and withdraw its soldiers from Vietnam, then peace will return immediately.” HARRIMAN VIEW The North Vietnamese have threatened to try captured United States pilots as “war criminals,” disregarding: United States demands that they be treated under the Geneva convention for prisoners of war.

number of pilots captured in bombing raids over North Vietnam. A total of 34 had been mentioned, but the number could be as high as 100, he said. The United States has made no progress in attempts to arrange an exchange of prisoners of war with North

The United States roving ambassador, Mr Averell Harriman. said in Washington yesterday that the United States would not make a barbaric response if North Vietnam tried the captured American pilots as war criminals.

Propaganda Sheets.—The North Vietnamese are bombarding United States Marines with propaganda pamphlets quoting anti-war statements purportedly made by the United States Senators Wayne Morse, of Oregon, and Ernest Gruening, of Alaska, both Democrats.—Saigon, July 25.