LEADERS PURSUE PEACE, SECURITY

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30366, 15 February 1964, Page 13

LEADERS PURSUE PEACE, SECURITY

(N Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) WASHINGTON, February 14. President Johnson and Sir Alec Douglas-Home said in a joint communique ending two days of talks here yesterday that they considered the “pursuit of peace with security” their primary task and responsibility.

They expressed the hope that the Soviet Union would “examine with the greatest seriousness” proposals put forward at the Geneva conference and elsewhere by the United States and .Britain aimed at bringing about effective and controlled disarmament. The two leaders said that each Government recognised that no progress could be made without a strong and united Western Alliance prepared to defend its interests against threat and intimidation. They called for the widest possible political and economic co-operation in Europe within a broad Atlantic partnership. They said this remained a common aim of American and British policy. Mutual Support The communique said that the President and the Prime Minister gave special consideration to South-east Asia matters and to the problem of assisting free States of the area to maintain their independence. Sir Alec Doug-las-Home, it said, re-empha-sised British support for American policy in South Vietnam, and the President reaffirmed the support of the United States for the peaceful national independence of Malaysia. Both the President and the Prime Minister pledged that their Governments would act “affirmatively and decisively” to promote the success of the forthcoming “Kennedy Round” of trade and tariff negotiations in Geneva. British Thinking On Cuban trade, Sir Alec Douglas-Home was said to have given President Johnson a full explanation of British thinking. He made it clear, it was stated, that British policy did not include

giving arms, aid, or loans to Cuba. The Prime Minister was reported to have expressed the hope that this would lead to better understanding of the British position.