TEXT OF VHITE HOUSE RELEASE 3Y
THE RIGHT HOiOURIJALE-. K: 7mTZI rEi IhISTITER OF AUSTRALIA
A-i3 + PSIDENT KENNEDY
The White House today made public the following joint
communique after meetings between the President and the Right
Honourable Robert Gordon Menzies, Prime Minister of Australia.
The President and the Prime Minister expressed
gratification at the opportunity presented by the Prime
Minister's visit for furthering their personal as well as
official friendship symbolizing the cordiality of relations
between the American and Australian people.
The President and the Prime Minister discussed the
question of peace in South East Asia. The President noted with
satisfaction Australia's active interest in supporting -the
struggle of the Government of Vietnam against subversion and
aggression organized and directed from abroad. Both leaders
looked forward to the effective realization of the Geneva
Accords assuring the independence and neutrality of Laos.
The President and the Prime Minister agreed that a
peaceful solution of the West New Guinea dispute would be in
the best interests of all concerned, and they recognized that
the efforts of the Acting Secretary-General of the United
Nltions,, U Thant, and his representative, Ambassador Ellsworth
Bunker, had provided the atmosphere for the achievement of a
significant contribution to the cause of peaceful settlement
of international disputes.
Both the Pr~ sil* ent and the Prime Ministor agreed on the
desirability of maintaining the excellent record of Australian-
American security consultation and co-ordination through the
A. N. Z. U. S. and S. E. A. T. O. treaties.
President Kennedy expressed his strong belief in the
importance of the Commonwealth as a source of stability and
strength for the free world. At the same time both leaders
recognized that European unity could contribute substantially
to the strength of the free world.
They reviewed therefore the implications for the trade
of their two nations of the cossible accession of the United
Kingdom to the European Economic Community.
It was agreed that, in this event, the United States and
Australia would, as great suppliers to Eritain and Europe, face
problems in endeavouring to maintain and expand access for their
goods. The Prime Minister offered the view that it would be a
grave misfortune if, after the negotiations, it turned out that
the conditions laid down for Britain's entry were unacceptable
to Commonwealth countries on the ground that they damaged
Commonwealth trade and expansion.
The President and Prime Minister took note of the fact
that with respect to certain articles and commodities
Australia's historic terms of access are different from those
of the United States. They recognized, however, that Australia
competed with the United States in the United Kingdom market
with respect to only a relatively small number of these items,
though the items themselves are by no means small in importance.
They agreed that, with respect to these items, technical
discussions would be held between the two Governments in an
effort to reconcile the trading interests of both nations.
With respect to the great bulk of articles and commodities
they noted that, as non-mombers of the European Economic Community,
their countries faced essentially the same problems, and they
jcined in hoping that the community would pursue liberal trading
pclicies. President Kennedy pointed out that under the trade
expansion legislation now pending before the Congress the
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United States Government should strive, through reciprocal
agreements, to bring about a general reduction of trade
barriers for the benefit of all. Moreover, both leaders
agreed that, with respect to a number of key primary products,
the problems raised by the expansion of the Common Market
might best be solved through international arrangements.
During the course of their interviews the President
expressed his warm interest in Australia and his understanding
of Australiats needs in terms of development and growth,
recognizing the problems of particular regions as well as
industries Both he and the Prime Minister were agreed that the
problems for the United States and Australia arising out of
Britain's proposed entry should be approached not on any
basis of theory or the use of particular words but upon a
practical basis, examining, commodities one by one, having
in mind the protection of the interests of both countries.
As a result of their discussions the President and
the Prime Minister were encouraged to believe that satisfactory
solutions will be found to those problems faced by their two
countries, Canberra. 3.30 a. m. Juno 21. 1962.