Italy: Conclusion of State Visit Joint Press Statement.

At the invitation of the President of the Italian Republic Sandro Pertini, the President of the United States of America, Jimmy Carter, paid a state visit to Rome June 19-21. The visit provided an opportunity for the two Presidents to have a productive exchange of views. Constructive meetings were also held between President Carter and the President of the Council of Ministers, Francesco Cossiga. The meetings were also attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Emilio Colombo and Secretary of State Edmund Muskie.

The two sides noted with satisfaction the extremely close relations between the United States and Italy which are based on longstanding ties of friendship and kinship, a common commitment to democratic values and on ties which derive from the membership of the two countries in the Atlantic Alliance. In the course of the discussions, an exchange of views was held on key international issues of particular concern to both governments; these included the crisis in Afghanistan, the Middle East situation, the grave problem of the illegal detention of the hostages in Iran, and U.S.-Italian cooperation for the promotion of security and peace. President Carter expressed appreciation for the constructive role played by Prime Minister Cossiga, in his capacity as President of the European Community for the current term.

The international situation created by the Soviet Union's armed intervention and continuing occupation of Afghanistan was examined in depth. It was agreed that this Soviet action, taken in flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter, constitutes a threat to peace, poses a grave challenge to the West and to its interests in Southwest Asia and the Persian Gulf, and that it has created a serious obstacle to the continuation of the process of detente.

As a result of this assessment, both sides view as indispensable a comprehensive Western political strategy designed to make clear to the Soviet Union by the application of tangible measures the necessity of a prompt and complete withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan.

In line with that view, the two sides welcomed the concerted steps which NATO is now pursuing in order to strengthen the common defense in response to the strategic challenge faced by all the Western allies. The two governments confirmed their commitment to the earliest possible fulfillment of the goals embodied in NATO's long-term defense program. Both sides recognized that increased European attention to security requirements within the NATO treaty area assumes even greater urgency because of U.S. commitment of resources toward building a security framework in the region of Southwest Asia and the Persian Gulf.

President Carter and Prime Minister Cossiga expressed their satisfaction with the NATO decision to pursue the complementary objectives of arms control, and the deployment of theater nuclear forces. President Carter reiterated his admiration for Prime Minister Cossiga's leadership in this effort. Prime Minister Cossiga reaffirmed Italy's active support to implement the NATO offer of December 12, 1979, inviting the Soviet Union to begin negotiations on the limitation of long range theater nuclear weapons systems.

President Carter expressed his own appreciation and that of the entire American people for Italy's support of the international effort to secure the release of the American hostages held by Iran in violation of international law and universally accepted standards of decency. It was stressed that the principle of the rule of law, vital to the health and stability of the world community, is at stake in this crisis. The conviction was also expressed that the release of the hostages constitutes a precondition for reestablishing the international prestige of Iran and for the resumption of mutually beneficial relations with its government, including the revocation of economic sanctions.

Turning to other questions of common interest, President Carter reiterated the U.S. commitment for a comprehensive peace in the Middle East, including the resolution of the Palestinian problem in all its aspects. He reaffirmed his belief that the Camp David accords continue to provide the soundest framework for building on the significant progress which has already been achieved toward ending the decades of bitterness and conflict in the Middle East.

President Cossiga expressed Italy's full agreement with the objective of a comprehensive and durable peace with justice for all, for Israel as well as for the Arab countries and for the Palestinian people. This objective is shared by the United States. It is also endorsed by the countries of the European Community and was reconfirmed in the June 13 declaration of the European Council in Venice. In the context of the efforts designed to achieve this objective he expressed the hope that significant progress could be made in the implementation of all aspects of the agreement reached at Camp David, thanks to the personal and courageous commitment of President Carter.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to work toward detente, based on principles of reciprocity and mutual restraint. They agreed that detente can be achieved only on condition that its comprehensive and indivisible character is acknowledged as indispensable.

An exchange of views on the agenda of the Venice Summit to be held June 22-23 followed. President Carter expressed his appreciation for the extensive preparations which Italy, as host, has made on behalf of the seven industrialized democracies which will participate in the Summit.

The two sides agreed on the need for closer consultations among the industrialized democracies to formulate a comprehensive strategy based on mutual security to meet the challenges of the eighties the crises, the instability and conflicts in the world frequently caused by poverty, underdevelopment and injustice.

To further the close bilateral relations between Italy and the United States it was agreed to intensify mutually advantageous cooperation in a variety of fields. The two governments announced their decision to cooperate in the design of the world's largest installation for the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity; a one megawatt photovoltaic plant to be located in Puglia. They agreed to carry forward other projects for research and information exchange in the solar field and in coal technologies, geothermal energy, nuclear safety and energy conservation.

In the social sector, it was agreed to continue cooperation to combat unemployment, particularly among the young. Satisfaction was also expressed for the positive impact of the Social Security Agreement. The two governments will continue to cooperate on both a bilateral and multilateral basis for the suppression of international narcotics traffic, together with the prevention and treatment of drug abuse.

Expanding knowledge of the languages of the two countries was considered. Having noted with satisfaction the results of the Memorandum of Agreement signed in Rome on May 4, 1978, both sides agreed to work together to produce television programs for the teaching of their respective languages. The Italian government announced its intention to increase its financial contribution to the Fulbright Program to match the U.S. contribution in the next years.

The decision recently announced by the Cini Foundation in Venice and by the Guggenheim Foundation in New York, to collaborate on the establishment of a major cultural center in Venice, was cited with satisfaction as a concrete and valid example of the contribution which the private sector offers to the development of bilateral relations between the United States and Italy.

Italian participants at the meeting at the Quirinale today:

PRESIDENT SANDRO PERTINI

EMILIO COLOMBO, Foreign Minister

ANTONIO MACCANICO, Secretary General of the Presidency of the Republic

PAOLO PANSA CEDRONIO, Italian Ambassador to the United States Italian participants at the meeting at Villa Madama today:

FRANCESCO COSSIGA, President of the Council of Ministers

EMILIO COLOMBO, Foreign Minister

PAOLO PANSA CEDRONIO, Italian Ambassador to the United States

MINISTER SERGIO BERLINGUER, Diplomatic Adviser to the Prime Minister

AMBASSADOR FRANCESCO MARIA MALFATTI, Secretary General to the Foreign Ministry

American participants at both the meeting at the Quirinale and the Villa Madarea:

THE PRESIDENT

EDMUND MUSKIE, Secretary of State

ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs

GEORGE VEST, Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs

RICHARD GARDNER, United States Ambassador to Italy