Cento: Language Lesson

In its ten years of existence, the Central Treaty Organization has never been much of an alliance. One of the original members, Iraq, soon dropped out. As others—Iran, Pakistan and Turkey —became more chummy with Moscow, CENTO’s essential purpose as a military shield against Communist aggression lost its urgency. Nevertheless, alliances seem to have a life of their own, and last week delegates from the CENTO nations gathered solemnly in Teheran for the 13th ministerial meeting. With the opening speeches out of the way, the delegates spent two days composing a communique that satisfied no one, yet had the sound of unity.