FOR PRESS:
Interchange of New Year Messages
The following messages were exchanged between His Excellency Mr. N. Khrushchev and the Prime Minister, Mr. R.G. Menzies, over the New Year period :-
"HIS EXCELLENCY
MR. ROBERT GORDON MENZIES
PRIME MINIST-R OF THE COMMONTEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.
In connection with the present New Year I send to you, Mr. Prime Minister, the Government and people of Australia from the Government of the U.S.S.R. and from myself personally greetings and best wishes. I am deeply convinced that the establishment of an attitude of mutual understanding and thorough collaboration by states and peoples on the basis of the principles of peaceful co-existence presents the brightest guarantee of safety, the strengthening of peace and the removal of international tension.
N. Khrushchev
Moscow
Kremlin.
"HIS EXCELLENCY MR. N. KHRUSHCHEV
CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE U.S.S.R.
KREMLIN. MOSCOW.
I thank Your Excellency for your telegram of New Year greetings and good wishes from the Government of the Soviet Union and yourself.
We in Australia earnestly hope with you that 1959 will be a year of improved international understanding.
The Australian Government and the people, for their part, will continue to pursue with sincerity and vigour the objectives of lessening international tension and Sestablishing trust and lasting peace amongst nations, If genuine good will and co-operation could be brought to bear these objectives will be the closer.
R.G. MENZIES.
With the compliments of
Robert Kennedy,
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister,
CANBERRA, A.C.T.
12th January, 1959.