May 20, 1964 - Ambassador Adlai Stevenson will warn the U.N. Security Council tomorrow that snowballing Communist aggression in South Vietnam and Laos cannot be tolerated and may lead to expansion of the war in Southeast Asia.
Stevenson was summoned home from Europe today to present the American case and to underline the gravity with which the U.S. regards the rapidly deteriorating free world position in Southeast Asia.
Sources said preliminary drafts of Stevenson’s speech carry a harsh condemnation of the Communists for repeated breaches of the Geneva accords both in South Vietnam and Laos. These sources said Stevenson was expected to imply, without being too explicit, that Cambodia has allowed Red Viet Cong guerrillas to use its territory to mount attacks on South Vietnam.
Upon his arrival at Kennedy International Airport from London, Stevenson said the Southeast Asian crisis was “extremely serious.”
Asked whether he expected support in the U.N. for the U.S. position, Stevenson said he had found in Europe “a wonderful recognition and respect — as well as gratitude — for the U.S. for holding the line in Southeast Asia against the Communist tide.”
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