411726 JOINT STATEMENT BY HIGH COMMISSIONER EDWARD E. JOHNSTON AND AMBASSADOR FRANKLIN HAYDN WILLIAMS GIVEN AT SAIPAN MARTANA ISLAND APRIL 18, 1972 - Today Ambassador Williams, the President's personal representative for micronesian status negotiations, and I would like to make a joint announcement concerning the United States Government's land requirements in the trust territory. Future land needs of-the Department of Defense were set forth during the third round of status negotiations which took place at Hana Maui in October 1971. There Ambassador Williams stated that in regard to our security related land requirements in the Marshalls the need for research and develop~ ment activities at Kwajalein would not disappear in the foreseeable‘ future. He however qualified this remark with the following statement: "It may some day become possible to-consolidateour testing activities in the Pacific and concurrent ly redufe our land interests in the Marshalls." The United States Government appreciates the importance that the micronesians place on land and has no desire to retain micronesian land that it does not need. Whenever it can consolidate or eliminate activities in order to reduce or terminate the lands required for security purposes, it will do so. In this respect, the status of Eniwetok Atoll has been under study by the various departments and agencies in the United States Government ever since a possibility of returning Bikini Atoll was first considered. Over the years the Department of Defense has been striving to bring its work on Eniwetok to a close. Ambassador Williams and I have taken a personal interest ‘ na reposirorny Dist COLLECTION Ae 326 “Torin Wc crow Sth (320 BOXNo. _ ——2 FOLDER oe VL « dV on Ors: