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Vietnam raids
'must stop'
LAUNCESTON. I
Thursday. — The i
bombing of North Vict- ,
nam must be con
demned, the Deputy
Leader of the Federal
Opposition, Mr Barn
ard, said on his return
from Vietnam today.
"I found, following a dis
cussion at senior level in
the South Vietnam Govern
ment, dissatisfaction with
the bombing of North Viet
nam", Mr Barnard said.
He said there was a
widespread feeling that it
was strengthening the resis
tance and determination of
the North Vietnamese.
"I feel any solution to the
war demands an extremely
patient approach", Mr
Barnard said.
"It is a war of insurgency
and an early end to it can
not be seen. It could last
two or three years, or poss
ibly as long as seven years.
Election could j
help stability I
"I have formed the opin
ion that the Labor Party
might seriously consider its
defence and foreign policies
as they affect this region.
"I think our policy was
correct when it was formu
lated and we were right to
propagate it.
"It is also my personal
opinion that now its (the
party's) policies have been
overtaken by the swift flow
of events in this turbulent
region".
Mr Barnard said the elec
tion later this year could
mark the beginning of some
form of stable government
which could win the confi
dence of the people.
South Vietnam must be
given the chance to develop
leadership, he added.
jrove, that the official
assessment of the war in
Vietnam as aggression from
outside against the people
of Vietnam has always been
wrong and is still wrong.
"I will say that a cessa
tion of hostilities is essen
tial and that it cannot be
achieved unless there is an
honest reassessment of the
causes and nature of the
war".
The former leader of the
Opposition, Mr Calwell,
will leave on June 13 for a
six months' overseas tour.
During the tour, he will
attend the Interparliament
ary Union conference in
Moscow and the British
Labour Party annual con
ference.
Mr Holt In Washington.
Page 9.
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