Washington Talks "Very Successful”

Press, Volume C, Issue 29679, 24 November 1961, Page 13

Washington Talks "Very Successful”

(N.Z.P. A .-Reuter—Copyright) WASHINGTON, November 23. President Kennedy and the West German Chancellor (Dr. Adenauer) both flew out of Washington last night after three days of intensive talks described by both parties as “very successful.”

Dr. Adenauer, nursing a cold, flew back to Bonn and Mr Kennedy flew off to the Kennedy family enclave at Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, for the Thanksgiving holiday.

The President and the Chancellor were much closer together in regard to the handling of the Berlin situation and the positions they would take if and when negotiations resulted with the Soviet Union, United States officials said today. The next step in the allied

consideration of the crisis would come in the discussions in the next few days between the British Prime Minister (Mr Macmillan), the French President (General de Gaulle) and Dr. Adenauer. Officials said that if there was allied agreement on broad negotiating policy—and General de Gaulle had still to be brought around to accepting negotiations—then the West would attempt to find out whether a basis for formal negotiations with the Soviet Union existed.

They intimated that the United States Ambassador in Moscow (Mr Llewellyn Thompson) would be asked to resume contact with the Soviet Government once the agreed allied approach had been reached.

As to whether negotiations with the Soviet Union had been advanced by the Kennedy-Adenauer talks, the officials said the answer would have to wait further contacts with the Soviet Union. They emphasised that there had been no substantive change in the Soviet position on Berlin so far as they knew, and that the only difference had been the postponing of the previous December 31 deadline for the signing of an East German peace treaty. Communique Issued

A joint communique issued yesterday after the talks said President Kennedy and Dr. Adenauer were in accord on the basic elements which would permit a peaceful resolution of the Berlin crisis through negotiation “if there is reasonableness on the part of the Soviet Union.”

The communique added: "They agreed on the

measures which should be taken in pursuing this ob-

jective in a manner consistent with the legitimate interests of all parties concerned.

“At the same time, they also agreed on the necessity for maintaining and increasing the ability of the N.A.T.O. alliance to cope with any military developments.”

The President and the Chancellor reaffirmed their "(dear determination to ensure the continuance of a free and vigorous life for the population of Berlin.” The communique said the discussions would be continued through the already announced meetings between Dr. Adenauer, Mr Macmillan and President de Gaulle, and concluded in the Foreign Ministers’ meeting and the NA.T.O. ministerial meeting scheduled in mid-December in Paris.

They reaffirmed the ultimate goal of German reunification and said they were in agreement that this objective could be realised “without prejudice to the legitimate interests of the Soviet Union and Germany's neighbours.” President Kennedy reaffirmed the United States’ strong support for the movement toward European unity through the Common Market. The two statesmen also:— Agreed on the importance and significance of proposals now being considered for a European Political Union; Welcomed the recent decision ’ by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to increase the combined gross national product by 50 percent; and Discussed the urgent need to increase the flow of development assistance to less developed countries. Doubts Ended

Washington officials said they believed Dr. Adenauer's visit had successfully ended any real or imagined doubts in Germany in regard to the basic nature of United States policy on Berlin.

The general atmosphere of the talks was described by the officials as excellent.

They said Dr. Adenauer appeared relaxed and at ease and they added that the new German Foreign Minister (Mr Gerhard Schroeder) had made a favourable impression. The American officials also praised the German Defence Minister (Mr FranzJosef Strauss), saying that he had added an authoritative voice in discussions about N.A.T.O. and military matters.

The talks, it was stated, had removed any aura cf doubt which might have existed between the two countries because of the spate of speculative reports published on both sides of the Atlantic in the past few months.

Because of the prior work of the four-Power ambassadorial group, which had been meeting continuously in Washington, the officials said the President and Dr. Adenauer were able to focus on those few points where there were shades of difference. They now had been resolved on both sides, the officials said.

The communique said the President and the Chancellor were in accord on the basic elements which would permit a peaceful solution of the Berlin crisis through negotiations “if there is reasonableness on the part of the Soviet Union.”