U.S. Intelligence vital

Press, 10 November 1983, Page 8

U.S. Intelligence vital

NZPA Washington The United States and its allies could defeat a first Soviet wave in Western Europe, but they would need nuclear weapons to stop a second one, General Sir Michael Gow said yesterday. Sir Michael who until July 1 was commander of the British Army of the Rhine, told reporters that improving United States Intelligence gathering capabilities could enable the allies to stop a second Soviet wave with non-nuclear weapons. Asked when he thought that would come about, he replied, without elaboration, “in the next decade.” He said that he accepted Mrs Margaret Thatcher’s statement that the United States could not fire a nuclear weapon from Britain without British consent. But he said that the United States-led invasion of Grenada, against Mrs Thatcher’s advice, had led some people to ask whether the United States might act

independently. The Opposition Labour Party says that it can. Mrs Thatcher has declined to publish the agreement on the question between the two countries. “Grenada came at a particularly awkward time,” Sir Michael said. Since he relinquished his 8.A.0.R. Command he has

been named Commandant of the Royal College of Defence Studies but has not taken up the post. In the meantime he has joined an international panel that goes to the United States every year on behalf of the European governments in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. It seeks to convince Americans that the Europeans are doing their share in the alliance. General Gow was optimistic that European governments would increase their military spending to foster defence without the use of nuclear weapons. But two other members of the panel, both retired generals, disagreed on the trend of European military spending. Major-General Giuseppe d’Ambrosio, said that Italian spending was now increasing with the goal of strengthening non-nuclear defence. Major-General Bjoern Egge of Norway, thought it was unlikely that European politicians would be willing to spend the necessary money.