U.S. seeks on-site policing of N-missiles pact

Press, 14 March 1987, Page 11

U.S. seeks on-site policing of N-missiles pact

NZPA-Reuter Geneva United States negotiators have proposed measures to the Soviet Union for on-site inspections to ensure compliance with a draft treaty to cut medium-range missiles.

The American mission said the verification measures put forward in Geneva yesterday completed its draft treaty presented on March 4.

In Washington, a State Department spokesman, Charles Redman, told reporters the proposals included “inspection and a permanent presence” at key installations to ensure adherence to a treaty now under negotiation. The super-Powers began a special session of arms control talks on the Intermediate-range Nuclear Force (1.N.F.) in Geneva on Tuesday. It is expected to continue for another week.

Negotiators are focusing on eliminating medium-range missiles in Europe and reducing warheads on such weapons elsewhere to 100 for each side. Both sides have expressed optimism on concluding an I.N.F. pact, after the Soviet Leader,

Mikhail Gorbachev, agreed last month not to link it to the other two systems under negotiation: long-range missiles and space and defence weapons. Mr Redman said the proposal could result in inspectors from the two countries being stationed permanently in each other’s territory. If accepted, the draft treaty article would be the first time the superpowers have agreed to such on-the-spot verification.

The article was put forward after consultations in Washington with officials from five West European countries — Britain, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and West Germany — where American I.N.F. forces are stationed or due for deployment.

United States arms delegation sources said that under the article, Washington would be able to oversee the removal of Soviet missiles and their destruction. They would have the right to return to the Soviet Union to confirm continued compliance with the pact.

Mr Redman declined to tell reporters whether the

text meant human or technical monitoring, saying that was a matter for the negotiators. The super-Powers adjourned the seventh round of their arms control talks last Friday. These involve separate negotiations on long-range missiles, medium-range missiles, and space and defence weapons.

But because of developments in the final days of the round, they agreed to a special session on inter-mediate-range missiles before resuming the full eighth round on April 23.

Mr Redman outlined the basic provisions of the United States proposals, including agreement that "national technical means” — in other words such methods as spy satellites — would be used and could not be interfered with.

The Americans also demanded that areas where the 100 medium-range missiles each side would be allowed to keep should be specified. Each side would give the other full details of the weapons, support facilities and equipment, and the information would be updated regularly.