Soviet build-up in Europe reported

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33454, 8 February 1974, Page 13

Soviet build-up in Europe reported

(B-j

K. C. THALER.

of United Press International, through N.Z.P.A.)

LONDON. Allied defence experts say that the latest intelligence has confirmed persistent reports of a mounting new Soviet arms build-up in Eastern Europe. The move toward more and better arms for the Warsaw Pact is tilting the existing imbalance between Communist and Western armed strength in Europe even more against the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (N.A.T.0.), they said. The Russians, according to the sources, are strengthening their forces especially in East Germany, where they have been entrenched since the end of World War II with more than 20 divisions. They have been sending more heavy tanks and other weapons and been putting much emphasis on new defensive anti-tank and antiaircraft missiles in the light of their success in the recent Middle East war. Charges of a Soviet arms build-up in East Europe were raised last year when East-West negotiations got under way in Vienna on possible force reductions in Central Europe. The Institute for Strategic Studies, in its military balance report last autumn, said that Soviet divisions in East Germany received about 1000 new tanks, os-

tensibly as replacements.! But the old ones apparently! were not withdrawn. Then came other, unoffi-1 cial reports which said that? the tank strength of the! Warsaw Pact in Central Eu-I rope had been increased byj well over 8000 in the last three years, giving the Communists a big lead over; N.A.T.O. in the area. The defence experts said; that according to latest in-[ telligence the Russians have; recently brought into the! area also vast numbers of I tactical nuclear warheads,! almost wiping out the Amer-1 Scan numerical lead. The Russians have ignored! these past and current,

(charges or have shrugged; (them off as “imperialist; .propaganda of circles op-1 (posed to the current Anglo-! Soviet Detente". They fear the impact of ‘these reports on the course! iof the current force cut 'talks, which they evidently; hope will induce a parti (withdrawal of American! (forces from Europe. ! Western defence experts; ■said what they worry about; (most is the re-equipping of; the Soviet East European; j military set-up with the lat-1 lest anti-tank missiles and! iS.A.M.6 rockets which’ caused such havoc in the Is-| iraeli tank and air forces last! October.