Ceausescu calls for arms cuts

Press, 21 November 1979, Page 9

Ceausescu calls for arms cuts

NZPA-Reuter Bucharest Ihe Rumanian President (Mr Nicolae Ceausescu) has proposed a European disarmament conference and called for a world-wide 10 per cent reduction in arms spending by 1985. Speaking in Bucharest to the twelfth Communist Party congress, the 61-year-old leader also proposed that a European security conference be organised at summ t level by 1984. He announced a new oil find in the Black Sea and an ambitious Rumanian pro-

gramme aimed at achieving: energy self-sufficiency in 10 i years.’ In a five-hour speech frequently interrupted by chants of “Ceausescu, peace, Ceausescu, the people” from 2600 delegates, the Rumanian leader linked the arms ’race with the world economic crisis. Bucharest angered the Soviet Union last year by vetoing increased military spending in the Warsaw Pact, saying the money should be spent on raising living standards. Moscow sent a delegation

to the congress headed by; iafi 80-year-old politburd; member, Mr Arvid Pelshe. China also sent a delegation, breaking a 15-year practice of not attending foreign congresses and thereby underlining the importance it attaches to relations with Rumania, whose liking for an independent line has irked Moscow. Mr Ceausescu said the huge increase in military ex-1 penditure was one of the, main causes of the inter-: national economic crisis, which had also affected his) country.

q Rumania, once self-suf-ijicient in oil but now a net . importer, has been hard hit ,by the energy squeeze be-; : cause it does not receive) • any oil from the Sovetl • Union for soft currency. • Clearly criticising the main oil exporters, he said i fair ratios must be estab-) I fished urgently between the cost of fuel and energy and i that of other products. - On arms he said: “We bes lieve it is of the greatest im-) ■lportance to work for the re- ,) duction of military ex-: ijpenditure by at least 10 per. (cent by 1985.”