These events we all welcomed.  Yet since I last reported to you, we and the world have been confronted by a number of crises: 

—­During the Arab-Israeli war last June, the hot line between Washington and Moscow was used for the first time in our history.  A cease-fire was achieved without a major power confrontation.

Now the nations of the Middle East have the opportunity to cooperate with Ambassador Jarring’s U.N. mission and they have the responsibility to find the terms of living together in stable peace and dignity, and we shall do all in our power to help them achieve that result.

—­Not far from this scene of conflict, a crisis flared on Cyprus involving two peoples who are America’s friends:  Greece and Turkey.  Our very able representative, Mr. Cyrus Vance, and others helped to ease this tension.

—­Turmoil continues on the mainland of China after a year of violent disruption.  The radical extremism of their Government has isolated the Chinese people behind their own borders.  The United States, however, remains willing to permit the travel of journalists to both our countries; to undertake cultural and educational exchanges; and to talk about the exchange of basic food crop materials.

Since I spoke to you last, the United States and the Soviet Union have taken several important steps toward the goal of international cooperation.

As you will remember, I met with Chairman Kosygin at Glassboro and we achieved if not accord, at least a clearer understanding of our respective positions after 2 days of meeting.

Because we believe the nuclear danger must be narrowed, we have worked with the Soviet Union and with other nations to reach an agreement that will halt the spread of nuclear weapons.  On the basis of communications from Ambassador Fisher in Geneva this afternoon, I am encouraged to believe that a draft treaty can be laid before the conference in Geneva in the very near future.  I hope to be able to present that treaty to the Senate this year for the Senate’s approval.

We achieved, in 1967, a consular treaty with the Soviets, the first commercial air agreement between the two countries, and a treaty banning weapons in outer space.  We shall sign, and submit to the Senate shortly, a new treaty with the Soviets and with others for the protection of astronauts.

Serious differences still remain between us, yet in these relations, we have made some progress since Vienna, the Berlin Wall, and the Cuban missile crisis.

But despite this progress, we must maintain a military force that is capable of deterring any threat to this Nation’s security, whatever the mode of aggression.  Our choices must not be confined to total war—­or to total acquiescence.

We have such a military force today.  We shall maintain it.

I wish—­with all of my heart—­that the expenditures that are necessary to build and to protect our power could all be devoted to the programs of peace.  But until world conditions permit, and until peace is assured, America’s might—­and America’s bravest sons who wear our Nation’s uniform—­must continue to stand guard for all of us—­as they gallantly do tonight in Vietnam and other places in the world.