Joint Statement following Discussions With Prime Minister Macmillan.

PRESIDENT KENNEDY and Prime Minister Macmillan have undertaken in Washington during the past day a continuation of the series of discussions which they began in Key West last year. They have conducted a general review of international problems facing their two countries.

In particular, the President and the Prime Minister reviewed the problems of disarmament and of nuclear test control. They reaffirmed their regret that the Soviet Government has not been willing to join in an effective treaty which would end nuclear testing. They expressed the determination of their two governments to continue to work for progress toward disarmament, including the ending of nuclear tests.

The President gave the Prime Minister an account of the recent discussions between Secretary of State Rusk and Soviet Ambassador Dobrynin. They agreed on the importance of maintaining these and other contacts between East and West. They reaffirmed their willingness to consider meetings of Heads of Government whenever there is an indication that such meetings would serve the interests of peace and understanding, and in this respect they took note of the opinion recently expressed by Chairman Khrushchev.

The Prime Minister informed the President of the progress in the Brussels negotiations between Great Britain and the European Economic Community, and explained the importance of preserving the interests of the Commonwealth and EFTA countries. The President and Prime Minister expressed their hopes that these negotiations between the United Kingdom and the EEC would be crowned with success. The President informed the Prime Minister of the progress of proposals for new trade legislation to permit stronger relationships within and beyond the Atlantic Community.

The President and the Prime Minister then reviewed the situation of the NATO alliance in the light of the forthcoming meeting in Athens. They also discussed the situation in Southeast Asia, and strongly reaffirmed their support for an independent and neutral Laos under a government committed to that objective. They discussed problems of mutual commercial interest, including questions of shipping policy, tariffs and commodity problems. The President informed the Prime Minister of the developing efforts of the Western Hemisphere through the Alliance for Progress and explained his concern for the maintenance and development of adequate market opportunities for the products of the Latin American countries.