Guam Venue For Johnson

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31317, 13 March 1967, Page 13

Guam Venue For Johnson

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, March 12. President Johnson will fly to Guam next week-end for a Vietnam war conference with his senior advisers and diplomatic and military leaders from Saigon.

The announcement was made by Vice-President Hubert Humphrey at the annual banquet of the Gridiron Club of Washington Newsmen.

Mr Humphrey made the disclosure in the concluding speech at the dinner where everything usually is off-the-record.

He said: “Just about this time, a week from now, the President of the United States and his advisers will be on the way to the Pacific to the island of Guam.”

He said the purpose would be to discuss “the struggle against aggression” and to try to find the way “to an honorable peace.” Mr Humphrey did not go into details. The White House press secretary, Mr George Christian, confirmed the announcement. Mr Christian said the meeting was expected to be for “a short time—a few days at the most”

He said the Secretary of State, Mr Dean Rusk, and the Secretary of Defence, Mr Robert McNamara, both present at the dinner, would go to Guam. At his news conference on Thursday, the President said he liked to meet personally with the United States Ambassador, Mr Henry Cabot Lodge, and General William Westmoreland, the United States military commander in Vietnam, about every six months.

Last year, he flew to Hono-

lulu on short notice for talks there in early February with his two principal lieutenants in Vietnam, and with the Vietnamese Prime Minister, Air Vice-Marshal Nguyen Cao Ky. In October, Mr Johnson met again with them at the Manila conference of the Vietnam allies, then saw them later when he briefly visited the American base at Cam Ranh Bay. Mr Lodge met the President in Washington early this year before returning to Saigon afer a Christmas holiday at home.

Guam is home-base for the Stratofortresses which have been conducting raids in Vietnam for many months. Mr Johnson is almost certain to recognise their contribution to the war while on the island.