Gromyko, Johnson Talk On A-Spread

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31188, 12 October 1966, Page 17

Gromyko, Johnson Talk On A-Spread

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

WASHINGTON, October 10.

The Soviet Foreign Minister, Mr Andrei Gromyko, conferred with President Johnson today and said after the meeting that it appeared “both sides are striving to reach an agreement” on halting the spread of nuclear weapons.

Leaving a dinner given by the Secretary of State, Mr Dean Rusk, Mr Gromyko said he did not mention to Mr Johnson in his talk earlier the possibility of East-West troop reductions in Europe. But he did say that a SovietAmerican exchange of views on non-proliferation agreement “will be continued.” “We discussed several questions relating to disarmament and the number one question was on stopping the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

“It looks like both countries are striving to reach agreement and are trying to facilitate ths conclusion of an international agreement on this question.” Mr Gromyko carefully

avoided answering any questions on the Vietnam war. which the Kremlin claims is one of the main obstacles to improving Soviet-American relations. He answered only with a shrug of the shoulders.