N.A.T.O. Troop Strength Talks

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31305, 27 February 1967, Page 13

N.A.T.O. Troop Strength Talks

(N.Z.P.A. -Reuter—Copyright)

WASHINGTON, February 25.

The United States remains opposed to unilateral cuts in troop strength in Europe and believes the problem must be handled by N.A.T.O. as a whole, officials said today.

That is the Johnson Administration’s position as it prepares for the resumption of talks with Britain and Germany about the controversial issue of the cost of the British Army on the Rhine. Officials said that N.A.T.O. as a whole ought to decide what it prudently can do about troop cuts in the face of whatever threat there is from the Soviet Union. Calls Resisted This has been the formula with which the Administration for some months has resisted calls by Senator Mike Mansfield and others for uni-

lateral and substantial cuts in the size of the 225,000-man United States Army in Europe. President Johnson discussed the whole question yesterday with the Secretary of State, Mr Dean Rusk, and the Secretary of Defence, Mr Robert McNamara. But officials were reticent about whatever conclusions were reached. Last year, the United States pledged an additional 35 million dollars in arms purchases from Britain in order to head off an immediate cut in the British forces in Germany.