SOVIET ARMS PLAN “UNACCEPTABLE”

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27589, 21 February 1955, Page 11

SOVIET ARMS PLAN “UNACCEPTABLE”

(Rec. 9 p.m.) WASHINGTON, February 19. United States officials said today the Soviet Union’s proposal to destroy all nuclear weapons and limit armed forces to January 1 levels appeared completely unacceptable. They said it appeared to be nothing but a repeat of previous Soviet proposals, and would give the Soviet a vast military superiority over the West. It also would rule out the rearmament of Germany and Japan and any South-east Asia build-up, they said.

The officials said the destruction of all atomic arms would destroy the balance the United States nuclear stockpile now provided against the Soviet’s mass armies.

The State Department declined public comment until it has received and read the full text of the Soviet proposal. The United States had consistently maintained, the officials said, that no plan for atomic arms control would work unless combined with an airtight inspection plan to prevent violations. The Soviet had flatly refused to open her atomic areas to international inspection. The new Soviet proposal called, among other things, for the establishment of appropriate international control for supervision of the disarmament programme. But the officials isaid this was similar to language the Russians had used before—language never backed up by clear indications of willingness to permit airtight inspections. Senator John W. Bricker (Republican, Ohio), a member of the Congressional atomic group, said the Soviet plan would leave the Soviet Union “in a predominantly powerful position in Europe.” He said he favoured disarmament, but it would have to be a “package” involving equal cuts for both sides. ‘ ‘lf you take away the things in which they (the Russians) are in second position and we are first,” he said, “you would also have to cut the things in which they are out in front—manpower, submarines and tanks, for instance.” Soviet Proposal

The Soviet proposal was part of a five-page announcement. It said: “The demand for the destruction of the existing stock of atomic and hydrogen weapons has recently been made by broad international circles. “The fulfilment of this demand would go far towards the main goal —the complete banning of atomic weapons and the removal of this weapon from the arsenals of all nations.

“Therefore, and in addition to the proposals introduced at the ninth session at the General Assembly, the Soviet Government considers it neces-

sary to propose that the nations assume the following obligations. “(1) To destroy completely the stocks of atomic and hydrogen weapons in the possession of the nations, and to use atomic material only for peaceful purposes. “(2) Not to Increase their armed forces and their armaments above the level of January 1, 1955, and also not to increase their allocation for military purposes above the budgetary level for 1955.

“In this, the Soviet Government expresses itself as favouring the establishment of appropriate international control for observation pf the abovementioned measures. “The Soviet Government recognises that all the nations are vitally interested in solving the problem of disarmament and banning atomic weapons. No government, regardless of whether it is a member of the United Nations or not, should be excluded from participation in the solution of this most important and urgent task,” the announcement said.