PRESIDENT Johnson and President Segni had two conversations at the White House on January 14 and 15. Secretary of State Rusk and Foreign Minister Saragat were present on both occasions.
President Segni told President Johnson how deeply the Italian people felt the tragic death of President Kennedy. Expressing his appreciation and that of the American people for this sympathy, President Johnson observed that President Kennedy had valued highly the close friendship between Italy and the United States, which is a source of strength to both people.
The conversations between the two leaders reaffirmed the warm personal relationship established during President Johnson's visits to Italy in 1962 and 1963. The two Presidents found that their views coincide on a broad range of issues.
President Johnson emphasized to President Segni and Foreign Minister Saragat his deep personal dedication to strengthening the North Atlantic Alliance. They agreed that basic Western objectives require continued efforts toward building Atlantic partnership through steady progress toward European unity. In this connection, they noted that political and military talks on a multilateral sea-borne missile force are proceeding satisfactorily.
The two Presidents expressed the view that the forthcoming trade negotiations should be pursued energetically with a view to stimulating freer international trade on a more liberal basis. The Presidents also emphasized the importance of the more fully developed countries extending economic and technical assistance to the developing states of the world.
The Presidents noted the importance of exploring means of improving East-West relations and hoped that the Soviet Union would respond constructively to Western efforts in this direction. They agreed that new proposals should be introduced at the forthcoming disarmament talks in Geneva in an effort to achieve positive results. They stressed that Italy and the United States would work together with other nations in consolidating peace and freedom throughout the world.
Lyndon B. Johnson, Joint Statement Following Discussions With the President of Italy. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/238733