Kennedy Sees No Berlin Solution Yet

Press, Volume C, Issue 29643, 13 October 1961, Page 13

Kennedy Sees No Berlin Solution Yet

(N .Z.P. A. -Reuter — Copyright)

WASHINGTON, October 12. President Kennedy told the American people in a televised press conference last night that there was no evidence as yet of a clear solution to the Berlin crisis. But he made it plain that the Western Powers would continue their attempt to explore whether there was any basis for negotiations with the Soviet Union.

At the same time, the Allies would consult together in order to determine a common Western position. The President said the United States Ambassador to I Moscow (Mr Llewellyn Thompson), who is now in Washington for consultations, would return soon to resume contacts with the Soviet Government. At one point, when questioned about criticism of his policy, the President described his philosophy over Berlin as follows: ”... I am going to attempt, as I have said, to protect our vital interests and see whether it is passible for us to reach an agreement in this matter which will not necessitate a war which could mean so much destruction for so many millions and millions of people in this country and elsewhere. I am going to continue to do that and we will do the best we can and we will see what happens.” Several times during the press conference, the President referred to the seriousness of the situation facing the world. He said the "collision" of view between East and West in Europe was “a very, very serious matter” and said the American people were quite rightly concerned over the issue of war. “Most Dangerous Time” “We happen to live in the most dangerous time in the history of the human race,” he said sternly. He described his conversations with the Soviet Foreign Minister (Mr Gromyko) as attempts to explore what are the positions of the Powers concerned over Berlin. He left little doubt that, so far at least, the Soviet Union has not budged from its stated policy. The President said he had not found substantial changes in that policy as it was expressed to him some months ago. He intimated that the only grounds for recent reports of cautious optimism were that there was “a desire to discuss these matters ... to reach a peaceful accord. On the substance we are not in sight erf land,” the President observed. No Negotiations The President said the American and British talks with Mr Gromyko had been an attempt to determine the precise position of the Soviet Union on the various questions dealing with access to Berlin, the question of boun-

daries and all the rest. “We have not carried out any negotiations nor will we,” he said. President Kennedy said he saw no evidence yet that there was any clear solution to Berlin. There were still major differences of views between the West and the Soviet Union, but at least the talks with Mr Gromyko had helped in making precise those differences. He noted that the formation of a new German Government was expected soon and Germany would then be able to participate with more vigour in helping to make Allied policy. He said that West Berlin’s ties with the West and West Germany were very vital to the city remaining “more than just a shell.” South Vietnam The President turned to a trouble spot on the other side of the world when he announced a move to support the pro-Western South Vietnam Government of President Ngo Dinh Diem. Mr Kennedy said that he had instructed his military advisor, General Maxwell Taylor, to go to Saigon to discuss with President Diem and American officials on the spot ways in which the United States could assist South Vietnam to meet Communist threats. A reporter referred Mr Kennedy to reports that the United States was considering sending troops to South Vietnam and asked him to name the conditions under which such a move might be made. The President replied that the United States was going to wait until General Taylor came back and brought an up-to-date description of the situation in Vietnam. He said there had been a large increase in the guerrilla forces involved there and evidence that some of them had come from beyond the frontiers of Vietnam. - “General Taylor will give me and the Joint Chiefs of Staff an educated guess about what the Government there faces and we will come to a conclusion what to do,” the President said. Questioned about the statement by the Chinese Foreign Minister (Marshal Chen Yi) to Reuters, that China was willing to have talks with the United States at foreignminister level, Mr Kennedy said: “We have not seen any evidence as yet that the Chinese Communists wish to live in comity with us.” The United States would continue

its contacts with China at Geneva and in Warsaw. He said that the United States’ wish was to Live in peace with all peoples. He said they had not seen that attitude manifested by the Chinese Communists. A few days ago they had made a statement about Berlin that was quite bellicose. The President said that the United States was studying the question of atomic testing to see what was in the best interests of American security. Nevada Tests He said the present underground atomic tests in Nevada were in accord with American security. He did not say whether the United States would test in the atmosphere, as the Soviet Union had been doing. The President said everyone realised that nuclear weapons were extremely dangerous and that the Soviet Union had the long-range bomber and missile capacity, as did the United States, as they moved through a period of maximum hazard. “So naturally, anyone would be reluctant, unless all else had failed, to destroy so much of the world,” the President said. “But we have indicated that we will meet our commitments with whatever resources are necessary to meet them, and we also add that we hope it will be possible that accord can be reached which will protect the interests and freedom of the people involved without having to go to these extreme weapons.” The President gave a long list of measures which he said the Administration had taken to strengthen the United States military preparedness in the face of the Berlin crisis. Among measures he said had been taken was that the national defence budget had been increased by more than 6,000 million dollars, more than 14 per cent, over the previous budget.