International

Behind Scenes at The Conference

Storm In An

Teacup

From Stuart Inder, in Pago Pago No South Pacific Conference has had such a background of apprehension as has this first one to be held on American soil.

The apprehension has been directed against American

activity.

THE SPC historians will record that the apprehension and suspicion were groundless—that it has all been a storm in a teacup. American in tegrity cannot in all honesty be seriously questioned. There can be no doubt that America wants the South Seas happy and contented.

But Americans sometimes go about things in a flat-footed fashion, and achieve results that genuinely puzzle them. That is what has happened here. It will not affect the tenor of the Conference sittings, for most of the delegates were completely un touched by this early background at mosphere.

Where the trouble originated I don’t know, but certainly there was much interest in the South Seas some months ago in published reports that President Kennedy was looking for ways to give the South Seas more assistance. These were supported by a communique issued after the ANZUS Council meeting in Can berra in May.

Somehow the opinion gained cur rency that America would make some important announcement at the Fifth South Pacific Conference, and thus the murmurings began. There was apprehension that America planned to use the Conference —traditionally an SPC-run affair—as a propaganda channel; to use it to make a big political splash as it en tered South Seas power politics.

Suspicions seemed to be further strengthened when America began a massive rehabilitation programme for American Samoa, which until the last few months has been best known as a South Seas slum. Dollars and equipment were poured in.

Then there were more pointers: The American administration was re ported to be very tardy in handing out information on the Conference plans to the SPC; Flag Raising Day would be altered to coincide with the

Conference sitting; Samoa’s mr airstrip at Tafuna would be o the same day as the Conference Secretary for the Interior,,- Stewart Udall, and a plane-lo VIPs, would arrive, “ostensiblf

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the airport opening; President Ken nedy would send his own special rep resentative to the Conference.

Well, the day the Conference opened the critics were given more

ammunition when a delegation Conference representatives were: vited to go out to the airport meet Mr. Udall. They went, didn’t meet Mr. Udall. They been placed on the tail-end of lengthy programme, after the M saga Band, but somehow beo overlooked. Not even the Secre General of the SPC, Mr. T Smith, was introduced. Some oi delegates were furious.

It was against this background! the news was received later in morning that Mr. Udall would dress the Conference. More ci Mr, Udall was a politician, they and politicians had never in an the four previous conferences,, dressed the delegates. The Confer® were non-political affairs.

What would Mr. Udall say? S! the stage was set for the big poll splash?

Mr. Udall had a number of tl to say. One statement was inte ing, but he wasn’t very specific details, so it went right over heads of most of the delegates, put it down as mere talk. Mr. 1 suggested it would be a good if the South Seas could arrang: exchange of technicians, admini tors, etc., and said America woul everything to encourage sue: scheme “if you decide to unde: it”.

At a Press conference called in diately after the official opening Secretary agreed that he hopec Conference would discuss his gestion and “kick the idea aroti America wanted to help, he But he had nothing more specif] the time he flew off to Guam next day, with most of the VIP 1 The Conference got down tf job, and those who had been on toe in the background slowly mered down. The crisis poim peared to have passed, although situation was left perhaps in a j fused state. What did America in mind?

My own information is that; have nothing specific in mind, want to help, as Mr. Udall said; they have no plans because the* not too sure what is most n« and what would be most accept to other Governments.

They do not want to makes lateral arangements with the vs Governments and are quite pre;s to work through the SPC—if as tern can be worked out. They a review conference so the SPO be made to work better for the conditions (but they don’t was yet, while one of the member ernments, the Netherlands, isi volved in international negotki

Indonesia over the NNG ques ). merica at the moment is not of ,ig money to anybody (except to tern Samoa, which technically is an SPC member, and which Jtly looks like getting a grant i AlD—the US Agency for In utional Development). One way it thinks it can help is by offer more scholarships to Hawaii’s West Centre, and by some sort in exchange system no details of !h have been worked out. is, I repeat, nonsense for there Ibe any genuine suspicion of •-rican motives, although it might natural enough for there to be icion about the possible end re of her plans. America some s takes a flat-footed approach to »s which wins her no friends, le could certainly have saved ; ruffled feathers at this Con ice if she had used a little more hology. But the real moral is [it is more than time for that review conference so that every i desires, anxieties, hopes and lems in the South Seas can get ink airing.