Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-10-11
Kennedy Sees
GrOmykO on
Wide Issues
By CECIL HOLLAND
star staff Writer

star staff Writer
President Kennedy and So
Wet Foreign Minister Andrei
Gromyko exchanged views on a
wide range of issues. including
Russian troops in Cuba. at q
White House meeting yester-
day. Both sides described the
discussion as useful"
As he left the White House
after q meeting lasting more
than two hours, Mr.. Gromyko
said both sides expressed a will
ingness to broaden the field Of
discussion and a readiness to
move in that direction. He said
he had discussed with the
President matters Of bilateral
interest, questions involving
other countries and disarma-
ment.
Mr.. Gromyko declined to say
whether the Cuban problem
was brought UP but an admin
istration spokesman said this
was one of the matters dis
cussed by the President.
Healthy" Discussion
The spokesman, giving some
but not all Of the topics dis
cusSed. declined to 60 into mat
tiers Of substance involved In
the conversation. He said both
sides expressed their views in
what are described as "a
healthy discussion.
With the limited nuclear test
ban having gone into effect a
few hours earlier, and with the
President approving the sale Of
surplus wheat to Russia, the
meeting was friendly and far
different from the last one be-
tween Mr.. Kennedy and Mr..
Gromyko. That was q year ago
when the United States and
Russia were on the brink OF
war over Soviet offensive mis-
siles sent into Cuba.
The usually dour Mr.. Gro
myko was in what appeared to
be a loquacious mood for him
as he left the meeting with the
president.
GrOmykO Comments
He was Immediately sur
rounded in the White House
lobby by reporters, foreign and
domestic, and then gave some
guarded comments on the con-
versation.
"If I told you we did not dis
cuss questions relating to Euro
pean security you p o b aBly
would not believe me-" Mr..
Gromyko said. He seemed to
like his statement and repeated
1t on television a little later
Just outside the White House
office.
The administration spokes-
man, celebrating q little bit,
said the discussions involved
the question Of q non-aggres-
sion pact, Berlin, and multi
lateral forces, as we'll as Cuba.
Mr.. Gromyko automatically
turned aside a request to be
more specific about the dis
armament discussion.
Problem Is Broad"
THE problem is a very broad
one" he replied. Il am afraid
that If I undertake to discuss
specifics on this m a tier you
and I will stay without supper"
Mr.. Gromyko, according to
one report, was understood to
have said that Moscow would
consider the setting up Of the
multi-nation nuclear fleet as a
proliferation of atomic weap-
ons and, therefore, inconsist-
ent with the test-ban treaty
pledge to prevent the spread
of nuclear know-how.
Contrary to some expecta-
tons, only insignificant prog
ress was reported on minor
bilateral questions, such as the
dormant plan for an airline
route linking New York and
Moscow. the United States re-
quest to improve communica-
tons with its embassy in Mos
COW, or the conclusion Of a
consular agreement between
the two countries.
These and similar matters,
such as the possibility Of ex-
panded trade relations in the
wake Of Kennedy approval Of
private sales Of United States
wheat to the Soviet bloc, were
discussed briefly between Mr..
Rusk and Mr.. Gromyko, infor-
mantS said.
No more immediate meetings
between the President and the
Russian foreign minister are
scheduled. Mr.. Gromyko said
he plans to return to Moscow
about the middle Of the month.