Evening star., 1961-03-19
Continued From First PAGE


a variety of United Nations
problems, disarmament, the
Congo, and the Berlin Situa-
ton. All these have a bearing
on the possibility of some fu-
ture meeting between President
Kennedy and Soviet Premier
khrushchev.
The joint statement issued
after the talks said:
The minister of foreign af-
fairs of the USSR, Andrei A.
Gromyko, and Secretary of
State Dean Rusk, together with
their advisers. had a general
discussion of international
questions Of interest to both
countries. The discussion took
place at a luncheon in the State
Department today and lasted
from ! until 6 pm.
THE choice Of today'S date
was determined by the fact that
Foreign Minister Gromyko is
currently at New York for the
resumed session of the United
Nations General Assembly and
that Secretary of State RuSk
is departing the United States
shortly for a Journey of sew
eral days duration.
The Foreign Minister and
the Secretary of State had an
open and frank discussion on
q variety of subjects of mutual
interest.
1T is hoped that the dis
cuSSion will lead to a better mu-
tual understanding Of the po-
sitions and attitudes of both
governments and may facilitate
the consideration Of outstand-
ing problems"
Two Sessions Held
The conference apparently
ran much longer than Mr.. RuSk
had expected. He had been
scheduled to leave the State
Department around 4 o'clock
to attend a reception for Al
rican students at Trinity Col
lege.
The conference actually ran
through two sessions. From los
to $40 pm. the two men and
their advisers talked over
luncheon. At 3:l5 the group
went into Mr.. Rusk's office and
the two men continued talking
until sos pm.
At one point late in the af-
ternoon, Adlai E. Stevenson,
American Ambassador to the
United Nations started to leave
through the half-opened door
in the outer office.
The forward push of some so
waiting reporters forced the
startled Mr.. Stevenson into
hasty retreat back inside.
I'll take the private ele-
vator down." he said.
GrOmykO Cordial
Mr.. Gromyko arrived at the
State Department full of smiles
and cordial handshakes.
The meeting was the first be-
tween the top diplomats of the
United States and Russia since
the Kennedy administration
took office January 20.
Sources close to Mr.. RuSk
said he wanted a chance to
discuss the whole field of So
viet-American relations infor-
mally with the Soviet foreign
minister. Top problem is the
continued Soviet military sup
port of Communist rebels in
Laos.
The Kennedy administration
has stepped up military help
to the Western oriented Laos
government Of Premier Boun
Oum. But Secretary of State
Rusk is said to be anxious to
avoid a continued increase Of
military forces on both sides
for fear Laos would turn into
another Korea.
Before the luncheon, the dip
lomats and their advisers ami
ably posed and exchanged BAN
ter for reporters and photog-
raphers outside Mr.. Rusk's Of
flee. The Secretary Of State
took to an arm chair, while
Mr.. Gromyko settled on the
divan next to Mr.. Stevenson,
Soviet Ambassador Mikhail
Menshikov and Undersecretary
of State Bowles.
"Ah, perhaps we can settle
everything right here" jokec
Mr.. Gromyko. and stretched
his arms out to take in the
bright lights and camera.
Mr.. Rusk had a busy morn