Evening star., 1961-04-02
KENNEDY
President, Rusk Stress Need
. For Halt in Lootion HostiIities

insisted that renewal of activ-
ity of the commission in no
way should hold up calling of
the aforementioned interna-
tienal conference on Laos"
This seemed to run counter to
the Western idea of negotiat-
ing only after a cease fire was
assured.
American warinesS about
treating the Soviet note as an
outright acceptance OF the
Western proposals was indi-
Gated in a press conference by
Secretary of State Rusk after
he had talked with the PreSi-
dent for more than 80 minutes
here.
Mr.. Rusk was asked if the
United States insisted on for
mai, signed cease fire agree
ment in Laos or would a de
facto" lull in the fighting be
satisfactory as a prelude to
negotiations.
THE important thing" he
said. "is that the fighting in
Laos come to an end, particu-
larly the offensive moves of the
rebel forces.
IF protracted negotiations
for a cease fire take place while
fighting continues, that would
not be satisfactory. The i'm
portant thing is the cessation
of hostilitieS while negotiations
go ahead"
He apparently was suspicious
of. the Soviet suggestion that
the Communist and Royal Lao
tian forces would have to nego-
tiate cease fire questions.
Kennedy Stresses Peace
Mr.. Kennedy also stressed in
his statement that "the first
need" is to bring the present
fighting Laos to an end"
He added that I'VE think this
can be achieved if all interested +
governments, including the So
Wet Union, use their influence
to- bring this about"
His use of the word "if" in
dicated the President was not
convinced exactly how the Rus
slams will use their influence
with the Communist forces
they have been supporting in
Laos.
The President made clear,
however, that he was reconciled
to- the likelihood that negotia-
tions for peace in Laos may
take a long time. He asserted
that "the United States will do
everything it can to reach a
result which will permit the
Laotian people to live in peace
and take care of their own
affairs"
Later, on his return to Wash
lngton in the evening, Mr.. Rusk
said that "the next step is for
the British and Soviet CO.
chairmen of the international
commission to get together and
eau for a cease fire"
When asked if he thought
the Soviet reply might be a
stalling tactic the Secretary of
State replied that could only
be judged by what is happen
ing. on the ground in Laos.
Don't lose sight Of that !"
Mr.. Rusk added, meaning that
the military action of Pathet
Lao rebels would indicate the
intentions Of the Russians.
Gable From Thompson
Mr.. Rusk flew to Palm Beach
Friday night, not knowing when
the Russian reply to the Brit
ish-advanced cease-fire propo-
sails would come, to report to
the President on the SEATO
Council meeting in Bangkok
and his conference on the way
home with Indian Prime Min
lister Nehru.
By the time the Secretary
met with the President at the
Kennedy family's seaside villa
here about 10 am. today, they
had a report from American
Am b assador Llewellyn E.
Thompson in Moscow on a long
talk with Soviet Premier Khru-
shchev earlier this morning. !
Mr.. Thompson was called to
the Kremlin about an hour
after the formal Soviet reply
was delivered to the British
Ambassador. He got a copy of
the note. 1t also was transmit
ted here, but was somewhat de-
layed for translation.
Mr.. RuSk had left the Ken
nedy villa and returned to his
hotel by the time the text of .
the Soviet note arrived. He
conferred briefly by telephone
with the President again before
boarding a plane for his re-
turn trip to Washington. Mr..
Thompson'S earlier cable had |
given them the gist of the reply.
Disagrees With observations"
The Presidents 132-word
statement was issued after he
had read the text of the Soviet |
note.
He noted that ".the Soviet re-
ply contains certain observa-
tions with which we cannot
agree" He did not specify what
these were.
Obviously he had in mind
Soviet charges that the present
Western-backed Laotian gov
ernment was organized pre-
cisely for the purpose of end
ing the neutrality of Laos" and !
that certain powers" had
been "saber-rattling."
The United States has been
making-and presumably con-