Statement by the President Following His Meeting at the Vatican With Pope Paul VI.

I HAVE COME around the world to call on His Holiness Pope Paul in the spirit of his offer of "unarmed cooperation ... towards the reestablishment of true peace."

No man can avoid being moved to try harder for peace at Christmastime.

We discussed possible Paris to peace, and the efforts that have been made in recent years, so far without success.

We agree with His Holiness that "an honorable settlement of the painful and threatening dispute is still possible." I received his judgment to this end, and I deeply appreciate the full and free manner in which it was given.

His Holiness has suggested a principle of mutual restraint. If this principle were accepted by both sides, there would be rapid and solid progress toward peace.

We would be willing to stop the bombing and proceed promptly to serious and productive discussions.

A total end to the violence would be our urgent objective. We support informal talks with the South. We are ready for formal talks with the North.

We will agree to any proposal that would substitute the word and the vote for the knife and the grenade in bringing honorable peace to Vietnam.

We shall keep closely in touch with His Holiness in the days ahead, as we shall with others who are searching to lift the scourge of war from Vietnam and Southeast Asia.