JOINT CC) M1VlUNIfUE BY PRESIDENT LYNDON B. JCHNS& N AND
THE PIMME MINISTER MR. HAROLD HOLT
AT WH[' ITE HOUSE, WASIING'FCN, D. C.
14th July, 1966.
At the invitation of President Johnson, the Prime
Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Right Honourable
Harold E. Holt, has returned to Washington to continue the
discussions which they held on subjects of mutual interest on
June 2 9. The President expressed his sincere appreciation
for the Prime Minister's willingness to arrange travel arrangements
to make their meeting possible.
The President and the Prime Minister reaffirmed the
determination of their two governments to assist the Republic of
Vietnam and its people in their efforts to repel the armed a-; gression
mounted against the Republic of Vietnam by the regime in Hanoi,
and expressed full confidence that those efforts will be successful.
They expressed again the desire of both governments that the
fighting in South Vietnam be brought to an end as soon as possible
through negotiation of an honourable peace, welcomed the
initiative of the Prime Minister of India appealing to the government
of the U. S. S. R. to reconvene a meeting of the Geneva powers anc
reaffirmed their readiness to take part in tihis or other negotiations
whenev-r the Hanoi regime indicate a willingne-$ s to do so.
President Johnson reviewed for the Prime Minister
military developments in Vietnam during the past two weeks. The
Prime Minister expressed appreciation for this review of recent events.
The Prime Minister discussed with the President his
recent visit to London.
The President and the Prime Minister reviewed the
political, economic and social progress and developmert which has
occurred in free Asia in recent years, most particularly in the first
half of 1966, and agreed that these developments are of Ihe greatest
significance for the future of Asia, the Pacific area and the world.
The President and the Prime Minister noted that among these developments
has been the healing of old quarrels between nations of the region, the
recent establishment of the Asian and Pacific Council, the imminent formal
inauguration of the Asian Development Bank in which both the United
States and Australia are participating, and concrete steps towards the
development of the Mekong Basin.
The President and the Prime Minister described these
events and the growing sense of regional identity in Asia and the Pacific
area as most encouraging for the possibility of future peace and
peaceful progress in the region. They expressed their belief that
these developments have in no small measure been made possible by the
shield of security provided to the region by the determination of the
gallant people of Vietnam and those assisting them to repel communist
aggression.
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The President and the Prime Minister noted with
satisfaction the steady strengthening in the ties linking their two
countries, particularly the flow of trade and investment, co-operation
in exploring the mysteries of space and common efforts in a broad
range of other scientific projects.
The President and the Prime Minister ag: eed that there
exist opportunities for further great undertakings in the peaceful
development of Asia, and these opportunities will be greatly expanded
when peace returns to the region.