Tass Says Reagan Speech Means Arms Race Will Spread to Space
President Reagan’s Inaugural Address was a “glorification” of his first term and means the United States will “intensify its program of spreading the arms race into space,” the official Soviet press agency Tass said Monday.
China, the other major communist power, congratulated Reagan in a message from Premier Zhao Ziyang and President Li Xiannian. But the message also repeated China’s call for strict observance of the 1972, 1979 and 1982 communiques in which the United States recognized the communist regime as the legitimate government of China and pledged to reduce arms sales to the Nationalist Chinese government on Taiwan.
Pope John Paul II sent a message of congratulations to Reagan, and although the contents were not released, Vatican sources said it included a papal appeal for God’s blessing on the American people.
Tass said in its dispatch from Washington: “After taking the oath, Reagan delivered a speech that actually amounted to glorification of the ‘achievements’ of his Administration during the first four-year term.
“He made it clear that he would continue to pursue an economic course which in practice is tantamount to fresh severe slashes in spending on major socioeconomic programs.”
Tass said only the military budget was spared from cuts so that Reagan can continue the defense buildup.
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