RUSK AND KY DETECT NO PEACE WISH

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30960, 17 January 1966, Page 11

RUSK AND KY DETECT NO PEACE WISH

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) SAIGON, January 16. The United States Secretary of State, Mr Dean Rusk, and the South Vietnamese Prime Minister, Nguyen Cao Ky, said today that there were no indications that North Vietnam wanted a peaceful settlement of the war.

A joint communique issued following highlevel talks yesterday said that the South Vietnamese Government refused to modify its demands that all aggression cease in South Vietnam before it would consider going to a conference table with the Communists. Both the United States and he South Vietnamese Govirnment agreed that allied brces “must continue to take ill necessary military mea;ures while remaining on the

alert to all proposals and initiatives that might lead to peace.” The communique followed talks between Mr Rusk, the United States roving Ambassador, Mr Averell Harriman,

the United States Ambassador in Saigon, Henry Cabot Lodge, General Ky and the South Vietnamese chief of state, Lieutenant-General Nguyen Van Thieu. It was issued shortly before Mr Rusk and Mr Harriman boarded a plane to fly to Manila for talks with the Philippine Government. Bombing Suspended Mr Rusk and Mr Harriman arrived in Saigon yesterday and immediately plunged into high level talks with Ky and other South Vietnamese leaders. Since the Christmas ceasefire, American planes have not bombed North Vietnam: and President Johnson sent emissaries around the world in an effort to bring the North Vietnamese Govern-

ment to the conference table for peace discussions. There has been no indication when or if the bombings —begun last February—will resume.

However, the South Vietnamese Government is known to favour renewed and even more intensified bombings in an attempt to gain a final victory before any negotiations. Three Points The communique, according to the Associated Press, listed three main points of agreement: (1) The basic positions of the two governments were consistent in all fundamental respects in a quest for peace that would still insure the security of South Vietnam from a Communist

take-over. (2) The United States would continue full support of Vietnam in its fight against the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese regulars.

(3) Washington would do “all in its power” to help South Vietnam improve the economic lot of the people.

The American portion of the communique heavily emphasised continued backing of the struggle in Vietnam.