General quits over S.A.L.T.

Press, 15 June 1979, Page 5

General quits over S.A.L.T.

NZPA-Reuter Washington The senior military man on the United States team that negotiated the new nuclear arms treaty with the Soviet Union has asked to retire and has made known his reservations about the pact, according to Pentagon sources. The sources said Lieuten-ant-General Edward Rowny had made his request last month to retire on June 30 and explained his reservations about S.A.L.T. II in a letter to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The Defence Department confirmed that President Jimmy Carter had authorised General Rowny to retire after 38 years of active service, the last six on the negotiating team f or the second Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty. The sources said General Rowny was disturbed about United States ability to detect any Soviet cheating on S.A.L.T. 11, the exclusion of the Soviet “Backfire” bomber from its limitations, and the permission given the Soviet Union to keep 308 so-called heavy missiles while the United States has none.

General Rowny’s views were expected to be aired when the Senate Foreign Relations Committee considered the treaty. The General’s retirement appeared to be a damaging blow to President Carter’s chances of persuading the Senate to ratify the S.A.L.T. II treaty. Mr Carter and the Soviet President (Mr Leonid Brezhnev) are scheduled to sign the treaty this week-end at their summit meeting in Vienna.

The Pentagon said General Rowny planned to begin work next September for the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars.