Kennedy Warns Of Trouble Ahead

Press, Volume C, Issue 29534, 8 June 1961, Page 17

Kennedy Warns Of Trouble Ahead

(NZJ’.A-Reuter—Copyright) WASHINGTON, June 7. President Kennedy today awaited world reaction to his historic speech last night summing up the state of United States* Soviet relations in the light of his Vienna conference with the Soviet Prime Minister (Mr Khrushchev). The President appeared purposeful, confident but at the same time sombre as he told the American people in a nation* wide televised speech that no advantage or concession had either been gained or given during his summit talks with Mr Khrushchev. But, at least, he said, “we knew better at the end where we both stood.” The chances of a dangerous misjudgment “should now be less."

As a result of the recognition by himself and Mr Khrushchev of the importance of an effective ceasefire in Laos. Mr Kennedy said he was hopeful of progress m the coming days in the 14-nation Geneva conference. But he was pessimistic over the prospects for the other Geneva conference—that on a nuclear test ban treaty. Discussing Laos, Mr Kennedy said: “The one area which afforded some immediate prospect of accord was Laos. Both sides recognised the need to reduce the dangers in that situation. Both sides endorsed the concept of a neutral and independent Laos, much in the manner of Burma or Cambodia. “No such hope emerged, however, with respect to the other deadlocked Geneva conference seeking a treaty to ban nuclear tests. “SERIOUS BLOW” “In short,” he said, "our hopes for an end to nuclear tests, for an end to the spread of nuclear weapons, and for some slowing down of the arms race, have been struck a serious blow. Nevertheless, the stakes are too important for us to abandon the draft treaty we have offered at Geneva.” The President thus hinted that he would not give the order in the immediate future to resume United States nuclear testing underground bfit would pursue the attempt at Geneva to gain a test ban. The stumbling block is Mr Khrushchev's continued insistence on a triumvirate to control the inspection machinery. He wants a board set up comprising the Western Powers, the Communist States, and the neutral nations to • tpervise any controls. The United States opposes any such plan on the ground that it would give the Soviet Union a built-in veto over any control machinery The President, speaking from the White Hot - for the first time, said Mr Khrushchev had not talked to him in terms of war, but still believed the world would move his way without resort to force. Once more he stressed the need for greater efforts to help the less developed areas of the world to com-

bat tiseaise and poverty and thus to create barriers to communism. The United States Secretary of State (Mr Rusk) is scheduled to go before the United States House of Representatives foreign affairs committee later today in an attempt to convince Congress to pass Preoident Kennedy's 1800 million-dollar foreign aid programme. Last night President Kennedy said he realised that there was a great deal of feeling in the United States that the United States had carried the burden of economic assistance long enough. But he said many countries being aided now faced great internal threats. "If we are not prepared to assist them in making a better life for their people, then I believe that the prospects for freedom in those areas are uncertain.” he said. The President said Mr Khrushchev was unrelenting in his position on Berlin and Germany. In fact, Mr Kennedy regarded Berlin as the “most sombre” phase of his conversations with the Soviet Prime Minister. As the President spoke. United States experts studied a massive Soviet memorandum presented at Vienna which stated the Soviet position on Berlin in detail. BERLIN AND GERMANY Hie president said simply that Mr Khrushchev's presentation on Germany and Berlrin would be “the subject of further communications.” One current and unofficial version was that Mr Khrushchev said in the memorandum that the present Berlin situation would have to be resolved to Soviet satisfaction by the end of this year. United Press International reported. "Our most sombre talks were on the subject of Germany and Berlin.” the President said. “I made it clear to Mr Khrushchev that the security of Western Europe and therefore our own security are deeply involved in our presence and our access rights to West Berlin, that those rights are based on law and not on sufferance. and that we are determined to maintain those rights at any risk and thus

meet our obligation to the people of West Berlin, and their right to choose their own future. "Mr Khrushchev. in turn, presented his views in detail and his presentation will be the subject of further communications.” Although his worefe presaged continuing trouble in international affairs, Mr Kennedy said his talks with Mr Khrushchev had at least widened the channel of communication between the United States and the Soviet Union. "The gap between us was not. in such a short period, materially reduced, but at least the channels of communications were opened more fully, at least the chances of a dangerous mis- « judgment on either side should now be less. . , Mr Kennedy said. Mr Kennedy said: "We have wholly different views of right and wrong, of what is an internal affair, and what is aggression, and, above all, we have wholly different concepts of where the world is and where it is going. "We believe in a system of national freedom and independence. He believes in an expanding and dynamic concept of world communism, and the question was whether these two systems can ever hope to live in peace without permitting any loss of security or any denial of freedom of our friends. “However difficult it may seem to answer this question in the affirmative as we approach so many harsh tests. I think we owe it to all mankind to make every possible effort.” he said. The President is due to speak again today— at the passing out parade of the cadets at the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. He will fly there by helicopter. Mr Kennedy was warm last night in his praise of General de Gaulle, with whom he spent three days in Paris last week. He said that as a result of their talks "certain doubts and suspicions" had been removed and that the conclusions they had reached would be important for the future in defence of Berlin, defence of Europe and in helping less developed countries. "I could not have more confidence in any man." the President said. This was regarded in Washington as one of the most remarkable aspects of his speech, Reute* said. General de Gaulle had been looked upon as the most difficult of all the Western leaders to deal with. But the President gave every indication in his speech that he looked to the French President for solid support .n the future. "My talks with General de Gaulle were profoundly encouraging to me. Certain differences in our attitudes on 1 one or another problem 5 became insignificant in view of our common commitment to defend freedom. “I found him a wise counsellor for the future, and an informative guide to the history that he has helped to make," he said. Mr Kennedy warned that the United States would have to learn to handle the Soviet tactics of infiltration of the leadership of emerging nations, a system which had replaced wars of Intervention such as that in Korea.