Joint Statement Following Discussions With the President of Bolivia.

FOR two days, we have been engaged in a frank exchange of our points of view on a number of important topics referring to the development of relations between our two countries and our responsibility for international action at both the inter-American and the world level. Our conversations have been extremely useful and have reaffirmed the traditional friendship between Bolivia and the United States.

We agreed that the limited nuclear test ban treaty is a first step toward reducing the threat of total disaster for all nations and that the proposal by the Presidents of Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador and Mexico for a Latin American de-nuclearized zone is a concrete indication of the sponsoring nations' deep interest in problems of arms control, a matter in which the United States is also deeply interested.

We reaffirmed our adherence to the United Nations and our firm decision to continue collaborating with the efforts of that organization to maintain peace and promote understanding among the peoples of the world.

We expressed our grave concern at setbacks to democratic government in Latin America and we have agreed upon the need to contribute to the preservation and strengthening of democratic institutions.

The hope was expressed that territorial problems in Latin America might be resolved within the framework of international solidarity which should inspire all the nations of the hemisphere with the same spirit of harmony which inspired the Chamizal agreement between the Presidents of the United States and Mexico.

In our talks, we have examined the Alliance for Progress, the vast multilateral effort in which all of the free American nations have joined since the meeting at Punta del Este in August 1961. At the end of this second year of the Alliance, we have noted on the one hand the significant and tangible progress which has been achieved, but we have also observed that we must still travel great distances to reach our objectives.

We have agreed that Bolivia--in common with many countries which are seeking to develop a more diverse and stronger economy-does not possess sufficient resources to proceed immediately with all the desired and necessary tasks. The available foreign public capital is limited. There is, thus, both the need to set priorities for the use of scarce resources and to seek to augment the available supply of external capital by offering inducements which will attract additional private capital.

We have noted with satisfaction that the problem of scarce resources is being attacked in Bolivia through efforts to make more efficient use of available resources. We agree that it is necessary to sustain the responsible effort which the Government of Bolivia is now making--through the COMIBOL--to restore more efficient production of Bolivia's principal export, tin. We are also agreed on the need of continuing the steps which are being taken toward diversification of the Bolivian economy through the reform and expansion of agricultural production, as well as of selected industrial development.

We renewed our determination to strengthen relations between Bolivia and the United States on the basis of the democratic ideals of freedom and social justice which our nations share and which have inspired their domestic and international conduct as sovereign nations. We noted the responsibility we have to determine that conduct independently in keeping with the reality and special circumstances of each of our nations.

The President of the United States reiterated his admiration for the efforts of the Bolivian people to make profound changes in their national life in conformity with the ideals and needs of the people themselves through the peaceful and democratic means contemplated in the Charter of the Alliance for Progress.

The President of Bolivia reiterated his appreciation for the cooperation rendered to Bolivia by the United States within the general Alliance effort.

We agreed that Bolivian prosperity depends in great part on a stable market for Bolivian minerals and, therefore, on the need to assure their export on the best possible terms. In this regard, we agreed upon the importance of research on improved methods of treating Bolivian ores, in which we are now cooperating, to provide a basis for determining the feasibility of operating in Bolivia a smelter designed for Bolivian ores.

The United States and Bolivia are playing a key role at this time in the history of the Americas. We shall not cease in our efforts until hunger, poverty, ignorance, social injustice and the threat to our free institutions have been eradicated. We consider that programs based on the will of the people are the best means of bringing prosperity and well-being to our peoples. Our complete understanding on the occasion of this meeting has confirmed our faith and will to work together for the good of the Americans and the free world in the future.