Visit of Prime Minister Muldoon of New Zealand Joint Statement Issued Following the Meetings Between the President and the Prime Minister.

At the invitation of President Carter, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Rt. Hon. R. D. Muldoon, is paying an official visit to Washington DC, November 910, 1977. The President held discussions with the Prime Minister on 9 November, followed by a luncheon at the White House. The talks between the two leaders covered a wide range of political, security, economic and other subjects of common concern.

The President and Prime Minister Muldoon reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries. They agreed that these were exceptionally warm and close, and securely based on a common commitment to human rights, democracy and the rule of law. They agreed that cooperation in traditional fields including foreign policy, trade and defense should be sustained, and welcomed the recent growth of cooperation in energy and other scientific and technical subjects.

In their discussions on international affairs the President and the Prime Minister paid special attention to Asian and South Pacific affairs. President Carter reiterated the intention of the United States to remain actively involved in Asian and Pacific affairs, and in particular, reaffirmed the strength of the United States' ties to New Zealand and its commitment to the ANZUS treaty.

The Prime Minister outlined recent changes in the South Pacific, including the rapid movement of many island groups to political independence and the progress towards regional cooperation represented by the South Pacific Forum. He emphasized the importance of the imminent declaration of maritime economic zones, and of the optimum development of the fish resources contained within them. The President and the Prime Minister confirmed the continuing importance of efforts to promote the well-being of the peoples of the South Pacific.

The President and the Prime Minister agreed that the two countries should sustain their close consultation on all these matters.

The President and the Prime Minister also exchanged views on other international subjects such as Southern Africa, the Middle East situation, the Antarctic, arms control and disarmament, and the Panama Canal treaties. The Prime Minister welcomed the initiatives that the President was taking to achieve solutions of these important issues.

The President and the Prime Minister discussed economic and trade issues in depth. They noted the serious problem raised by the balance of payments deficit of the non-oil producing developing countries and the primary producers. They agreed on the need for the major industrialized countries to continue their efforts to stimulate world economic recovery. The two leaders particularly stressed the need to expand world markets and improve trading opportunities for agricultural products. They agreed to continue their efforts to achieve this aim, especially at the present time in the context of the current multilateral trade negotiations.

The President and the Prime Minister agreed, within the context of the ANZUS treaty, that the economic health of each of the two partners was important to the other, especially as it affected the positive role each desired to play in their common endeavors to contribute to the welfare of the peoples of the Pacific and Asia and to the stability of the area.

Attending the meeting in the Cabinet room were:

American side:

The President

The Vice President

Secretary of State Cyrus Vance

Zbigniew Brzezinski--Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs

Richard Holbrooke--Assistant Secretary of State

Armistead I. Selden Jr.--Ambassador to New Zealand

Michael Armacost--National Security Council

New Zealand side:

The Prime Minister

Mr. F. H. Corner--Secretary of Foreign Affairs

Mr. W. N. Plummer--Head of the Australian and Americas Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Mr. B. V. Galvin Permanent Head of Prime Minister's Department

Ambassador Lloyd White--Ambassador to the United States