Test exploded early

Press, 5 February 1987, Page 8

Test exploded early

NZPA-Reuter Washington The United States ex* ploded a nuclear test yesterday as President Ronald Reagan discussed progress in: his “star wars” missile defence plan — two areas of bitter contention with the Soviet Union.

While Mr Reagan met his advisers at the White House, the Department of Energy announced the first nuclear test of 1987,

brushing aside warnings from Moscow that the underground blast would mean the . end of an 18month Soviet test freeze. The blast was two days early and caught opponents of nuclear testing, including Greenpeace, by surprise. Only five were at the test site in the Nevada desert. It had an explosive force less than 22,040 tonnes of TNT. The official Soviet news

agency, Tass, said the Reagan Administration had “confirmed its intention to follow a dangerous course for the escalation of the. nuclear arms race.” It made no immediate mention of the longthreatened resumption of Soviet testing.

The White House refused to comment on the meeting over the strategic defence initia-

tive, although the Senate’s Republican leader, Robert Dole, said Mr Reagan appeared to favour phased deployment, beginning this year. A Presidential spokeswoman said that Mr Reagan had made no substantive comment on phased deployment and the Secretary of State, Mr George Shultz, said a deployment decision was not likely this year.