Secretary of State, told a press
conference yesterday that the United States now faced “some extremely dangerous issues’ in the world and “the most immediate two are in south-east Asia and in the Congo,” according to a report from Washington.
Rusk was obviously uneasy about the deteriorating situation in South Vietnam brought about by the recent military coup in Saigon. He emphasised over and over again the “unity” among the Saigon puppets.
He said the United States considered that there . were two aspects to the South Vietnam question, namely, “Unity within the country” and “Pressure and infiltration from the outside.” very strongly that both these elements need an answer, that both are important to the security and the independence of South Vietnam, and that unity is a primary requirement for a solution to that problem.”
The United States hoped “very much that this overriding need for common effort and unified action will impress itself upon all elements there” and that they should “‘set aside their personal rivalries or lesser issues.”
Rusk threatened to cut or stop U.S. aid in an attempt to break the oppositon of the Nguyen Khanh group to the “civilian government,” He said, “Obviously, if there are problems of unity, there are certain kinds of assistance that are simply not feasible,”
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He said, “We believe
HE Panamanian Federation of Students in a statement on December 22nd _ reaffirmed their determination to carry on the fight. for the recovery of state sovereignty over the canal zone, according to a report from Panama City. The Federation stressed that the United States had not backed down from its original position in Panama, and thus “The euphoria of
the Panamanian government really is not justified.” U.S. President Johnson declared on December 17th the United States was ready to negotiate a new treaty with the Panamanian Government on the canal zone. Nevertheless, he added, before the United States opened a new canal in Central America to replace the present one, it “Must retain the rights neces-
sary for the effective operation and
protection of the canal, and the
administration of the areas necessary
for these purposes.”
The Panamanian youth aro
reported to be preparing for. new
anti-U.S. demonstrations next Janu-
ary to reaffirm the Panamanian
people’s demand for the recovery of
their sovereignty over the canal
zone,
oe