Chernenko in New Attack on ‘Star Wars’ Plan

Soviet President Konstantin U. Chernenko, disputing the Reagan Administration’s claim that the “Star Wars” space program is a defensive effort, harshly attacked the plan Thursday as an offensive and aggressive concept whose aim is to achieve U.S. superiority over the Soviet Union.

Although the Administration argues that “Star Wars” is only a missile defense research program, Chernenko asserted that, behind the shield of such a defense, Washington would feel safe against a retaliatory strike. Thus, he said, the United States would have the capability to launch a surprise nuclear attack against the Soviet Union.

Recalling that the atomic bomb was the product of scientific research, the Soviet leader declared: “Everyone knows how it turned out for the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.” Both Japanese cities were devastated by U.S. atomic bombs during World War II.

Chernenko’s comments came in written responses to questions by Cable News Network in Moscow. His words were the most direct challenge yet to the Reagan program by a top Soviet official and signaled that U.S. hopes of convincing Moscow of the virtues of space defenses are unlikely to be fulfilled when arms talks resume March 12 in Geneva.

And in equally gloomy remarks Thursday, Kenneth L. Adelman, chief of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, said the Administration will accuse the Soviet Union of 15 to 20 violations and probable violations of various arms control agreements--more than twice the number of alleged cheating incidents previously cited.

“Unless there is a better pattern of Soviet behavior, their record casts a very dark shadow over future agreements,” Adelman said.

The charges are contained in a report expected to be submitted to Congress sometime next week, Adelman said at a breakfast meeting with reporters. He said an “interim” version of the report is expected to be made public today, but the White House later indicated that this version may not be available until next week.

In the Moscow interview, Chernenko strongly repeated the Soviet view that there must be parallel progress on all topics at the new three-part talks--long-range offensive nuclear weapons, medium-range nuclear missiles and space arms. The United States would prefer that each negotiation proceed at its own pace toward an agreement.

“No limitation and, still less, reduction of nuclear arms can be attained without taking effective measures which would prevent the militarization of outer space,” Chernenko said.

Furthermore, he warned, “The militarization of outer space would not only mean in effect the end of the process of nuclear arms limitation and reduction but would become a catalyst of an uncontrolled arms race in all directions.”

Chernenko’s comments must be viewed as the Soviet Union’s opening position going into difficult negotiations with the United States, which Moscow also hopes to use to exploit differences between the United States and its North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies. Some Western European governments fear that President Reagan’s “Star Wars” program--formally known as the Strategic Defense Initiative--will be destabilizing to the nuclear balance.

Chernenko’s remarks also serve to keep his name in the media when he has not been seen in public for more than a month.

Despite his criticism, Chernenko said he remains hopeful that the coming talks will produce an arms agreement. And while he blasted the “Star Wars” program, he avoided blaming Reagan personally for proposing it.

Congress ordered preparation of the report on Soviet arms violations under pressure from conservatives such as Sen. Steven D. Symms (R-Ida.), who have criticized past arms agreements as favorable to the Soviets and who are suspicious of continuing the arms control talks.

All of the alleged violations in the new report--including seven previously cited--have been discussed with the Soviets at meetings of the Special Consultative Commission set up under old treaties to hear such complaints, Adelman said. But, he noted, “we have not received any satisfactory answers.”

The new complaints in the report are said to be less significant than the seven alleged violations cited by the Administration a year ago, either because there is less evidence of cheating or greater legal doubts about interpreting some clauses in existing treaties, or both.

These alleged violations are understood to include construction of movable anti-ballistic missile radar systems and mobile ABM interceptor missiles; development of rapid “reload” capability that would permit one launcher to fire a second missile within several hours of the first and faster production of the Backfire bomber than permitted.