Hard-line U.S. message

Press, 30 August 1985, Page 6

Hard-line U.S. message

NZPA-AP Washington The United States Defence Secretary, Mr Caspar Weinberger, offering a ringing defence of the United States military build-up and “star wars” programme, said yesterday that the nation could not afford to revert to “zero-growth” defence budgets. “The Soviets are held in check by our demonstration of resolve,” Mr Weinberger told the national convention of the American Legion, a veterans’ organisation, in New Orleans. “Make no doubt about it.

If we falter, they will only be encouraged to be more aggressive and offensive,” he said. “We cannot afford a zerogrowth defence budget again in 1987 and 1988 as we will have in 1986. None of us want to return to our emaciated status of the 19705, with low readiness, low morale and above all, Soviet aggression.” In Geneva the United States and the Soviet Union have made it plain that they are not yet prepared to make the concessions necessary to allow progress on

Australia’s initiative for a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty. The hard-line superpower message was conveyed privately to the Australian Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Bill Hayden, by the Soviets and Americans.

Diplomatic sources said that the unequivocal stand was a blow to Australia’s efforts to have the United Nations Conference on Disarmament move towards negotiation of such a treaty. Mr Hayden would not comment on yesterday’s private talks.