A.B.M. PLANS Nixon’s Bid Opposed

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32232, 26 February 1970, Page 11

A.B.M. PLANS Nixon’s Bid Opposed

(N Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

WASHINGTON, February 25.

President Nixon’s bid for a modest increase in America’s anti-ballistic missile defences appears to have run into trouble in Congress, some key Senators having voiced outright opposition to it.

Congressional sources say that the Administration, which won a waferthin victory last year in obtaining approval for the first two A.B.M. sites for the Safeguard defence system, is apparently in for another close fight.

President Nixon, through the Secretary' of Defence (Mr Melviii Laird) yesterday sought approval for a third A.B.M. site at the Air Force's Whiteman base in Missouri, it would complement the two sites authorised last year at the Malmstrom, Montana, and Grand Forks, North Dakota bases. Mr Laird told the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Defence Appropriations Sub-committee that it would cost less than SUS 100 m to begin work at the Missouri site in the 1970-71 fiscal year. Total safeguard spending, including continuation of the work on the Montana and North Dakota installations already authorised, would be only SUS92Om for the year, he added. This sum would also cover

preliminary survey and acquisition work on five more Safeguard sites in southern New England, the Washington capital area, MichiganOhio, the Upper North-West near the Pacific, and the Warren base in Wyoming. Mr Laird emphasised that there was no decision, or even any request, at this stage to place the Safeguard system's radar and Spartan and Sprint missiles at any sites other than those in Montana, North Dakota and Missouri. He linked the modified second phase Safeguard programme with the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks with Russia, as well as with the inter-continental ballistic missile threat posed by Moscow and Peking.