Soviets hasten spread of SS20 missile

Press, 9 February 1981, Page 8

Soviets hasten spread of SS20 missile

NZPA-Reuter'. Bonn West German sources have said that the Soviet Union is boosting the deployment rate of its new SS2O medium range nuclear missiles , aimed at Western Europe, a move likely to concern the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. The sources, who have access to reports from United States satellites, , said the mobile, triple-warhead- misiles could. soon be put in position at the rate of two a week—double that of a year ago. ' The Soviet Union is thought to have at least 150 SS2Os at its disposal, some zeroed in on Western Europe

and others aimed at nonEuropean targets including China. Deployment of the SS2O which has an estimated range of 6500 km, was cited by N.A.T.O. as grounds for the alliance’s 1979 decision to station 572 American made Cruise and Pershing 2 missiles in Western Europe. With delivery' of the new N.A.T.O. Weapons not due to start until 1983, the West German Chancellor (Mr Helmut Schmidt) has repeatedly warned of the missile lead which the Soviet Union is building up. In Paris, France and West Germany have set out essential requirements for maintaining peace and East-West stability and said the West

should neither accept a position of; weakness nor seek military, superiority. President Valery Giscard D’Estaing and Chancellor SchmidLalso expressed their determination to co-operate in a spirit of trust with the new.. Reagan Administration in the United States and reaffirmed their commitments to the Atlantic alliance. The leaders issued their statement after a two day summit, a regular conference of the two' Governments under the 1963 France-Germany Friendship Treaty. ; \ The President and Chancellor said they intended to set joint and resolute action against destabilising factors in the world and the dangers these created for peace.