Kissinger: Back S.A.L.T. and buy more weapons

Press, 2 August 1979, Page 6

Kissinger: Back S.A.L.T. and buy more weapons

NZPA-Reuter Washington The former Secretary of State, Dr Henry Kissinger, has added his voice to a chorus of demands for stepped-up United States military spending as a condition for supporting the second Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (S.A.L.T. II). In a long-awaited statement, he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday that without an iron-clad United States military commitment he could not endorse . the pact he helped in the early stages to negotiate. Senators, Carter Administration, and military witnesses have all emphasised a need for the United States to match what they see as a huge Soviet military build-up —shifting the focus of the treaty debate from the pact’s provisions to United States defence programmes.

The next move appears to be up to the Administration, which is under pressure to strike some kind of deal to meet the criticisms. The Defence Secretary (Mr Harold Brown) said in Missouri that Dr Kissinger’s testimony was evidence of a growing consensus that ratification should be linked to increased defence spending, but he added that the Carter Administration would continue to push for moderate rises such as the present proposed level of 3 per cent over the inflation rate. Mr Brown also said he was heartened by Dr Kissinger’s opposition to amendments that would effectively kill the treaty. A State Department spokesman said Dr Kissinger’s statement contributed to a constructive debate on vital foreign-policy and defence issues.

In addition to demanding a new five-year defence programme, Dr Kissinger called for Senate correction of “ambiguities” in the pact and a “vigorous expression” of the Senate’s view of the link between S.A.L.T. and Soviet conduct around the world. In an attack on Soviet policies in Africa and elsewhere, he said that since 1975, “there has been an unprecedented Soviet assault on the international equilibrium.” Under questioning. Dr Kissinger listed for inclusion in the programme accelerated development for the new MX mobile missile, the upgrading of so-called theatre forces in Europe, and a strengthening of conventional United States forces. He said the Administration could work on the programme during this month’s Congressional recess, but

treaty ratification should be delayed until it was produced. Although he made his support of treaty ratification dependent on his conditions being met, Dr Kissinger said failure to ratify would shake European confidence in the United States, and holding the treaty in abeyance or forcing re-negotiation would probably cause a diplomatic stalemate. He said the Soviet Union would never agree to uni* ' lateral weapons reductions. ! The treaty, he said, was essentially peripheral to basic. United States security and geopolitical concerns, but: simple ratification or simple; rejection would have a dangerous symbolic impact. Ratification of the treaty I will require a two-thirds ' majority vote in the 100* member Senate. ji