M.F.R. talks begin

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33370, 31 October 1973, Page 17

M.F.R. talks begin

. CV.Z.P.A.-Reuter — Copyright) , VIENNA, October 30. ; N.A.T.O. and the Soviet bloc began discussing troop reductions today in negotiations that are likely to set a record for modern diplomacy. Five months were needed earlier this year to establish basic guidelines and a date for the talks. Diplomats taking part say that the bargaining, once it begins, will last for several years. Nineteen nations —12 from N.A.T.0., seven from the Warsaw Pact—are involved in what they call “negotiations on mutual reduction of forces and armaments and associated measures in central Europe.” The discussions, first proposed by N.A.T.O. in 1968, were originally given the NATO, label of negotiations on “mutual and bal-

anced force reductions (M.8.F.R.).” The M.B.F.R. description, . although still often used by ’ N.A.T.O. diplomats, was officially dropped as a set of ' initials when the Soviet ; Union objected to the letter [ “B” for balanced, on grounds that this presupposed larger cuts by the , Warsaw Pact than by 1 N.A.T.O. N.A.T.O. still insists that '■ balanced cuts are necessary because the Communist nations have more troops in ' central Europe, and that they outnumber N.A.T.O. more than two-to-one in 1 tanks and guns deployed along Europe’s east-west “confrontation” line. While diplomats refuse to set target dates, the General 1 Secretary of the Soviet Communist party (Mr Brezh- 1 nev) said last week that the • Kremlin may be ready for , practical actions as early as ■ 1975. This assessment, regarded i

by some observers as too optimistic, presupposes that at least 14 months will be needed before even token agreements are reached. There have been unconfirmed reports that the; United States may offer to| “trade” the Soviet Union a 15 per cent reduction inj force levels as a start. This) would mean a withdrawal ofj 28,500 Americans and 04,500 Russians, almost certainly 1 from bases in the two German States. N.A.T.O. diplomats report; complete agreement on their ; negotiating tactics, despite the strained relations be- j tween the United States andj Western Europe over the I Middle East war, and the: Soviet chief delegate f.Mrj. Oleg Khlestov) has called!' for a “constructive ap-|' proach” to the talks. He said l that force reductions could • be a further step towards(j detente, to which Russia at- j tached great importance. 1