U.S., Russia to open N-talks

Press, 2 June 1982, Page 9

U.S., Russia to open N-talks

NZPA-Reuter Washington The United States and the Soviet Union have agreed to reopen negotiations this month on curbing their arsenals of strategic nuclear warheads and missiles. The 'White House and the Kremlin announced yesterday that Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (Start) would begin on June 29 in Geneva. President Reagan said it was the start of a "quest for peace." The negotiations were arranged less than a month after Mr Reagan, in a speech in Illinois, proposed that both countries reduce strategic nuclear warheads by onethird and also reduce the number of long-range missiles. Mr Reagan said yesterday at a Memorial Day ceremony in Arlington National Cemetery honouring America’s war dead, "Our goal is peace." Washington would continue to observe the restraints in the now-expired 1972 Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (S.A.L.T. I) and the unratified 1979 S.A.L.T. II "so long as the Soviet Union shows equal restraint.” he added. Mr Reagan has long criticised S.A.L.T. 11. which he says gave Moscow a military advantage. The treaty was

not ratified by the United States because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. ' United States officials say Mr Reagan's strategic nuclear arms reduction proposals. contained in a speech last May 9. are proof of his desire to curb the nucleararms race despite his own rearmament programme. The same applies to proposals leading to SovietUnited States talks on limiting nuclear weapons in Europe, a reduction in his strong anti-Soviet rhetoric, and his willingness to meet the Soviet leader. Leonid Brezhnev, probably later this year, they added. United States officials expressed pleasure that Chancellor Helmut Schmidt of West Germany, had swiftly welcomed the announcment of the opening of Start negotiations and had urged the Kremlin to react positively to Mr Reagan's May 9 proposals. United States officials say the initiatives taken by Mr Reagan on arms control in the last few months will help his goal of persuading Washington allies in Western Europe that he is genuinely interested in detente.

Mr Reagan plans to leave tomorrow for France, where he will attend a seven-nation

economic summit meeting in Versailles. He will also visit Rome. Bonn. West Berlin. and London In his speech announcing the talks. Mr Reagan said Americans must not only listen to allies and work with them to strengthen bonds, but also make sure that "our understanding must ... extend to potential adversaries." "We must strive to speak of them not belligerently, but firmly and frankly." he said. "That is why we must never fail to note, as frequently as necessary, the wide gulf between our codes of morality. That is why we must never hesitate to acknowledge the irrefutable difference between our view of man as master of the State and their view as servant of the State. "Nor must we ever underestimate the seriousness of their aspirations to global expansion ... It is this honesty of mind that can open paths to peace, that can lead to fruitful negotiation .. .i ■ "Our goal is peace." the President said. “We can gain that peace by strengthening our alliances ... by assuring potential adversaries of our seriousness, by actively pursuing every chance of honest and fruitful negotiation."