Belgium Will Start Deploying Cruise Missiles

Belgium will deploy its first 16 U.S.-made nuclear cruise missiles this month “in solidarity with the (NATO) allies,” Premier Wilfried Martens announced today.

In an address to Parliament, Martens defended the deployment, which is eventually to total 48 missiles on Belgian soil, saying “the Soviet Union has continued its deployments of both (medium-range nuclear) SS-20 as well as other short-range missiles that also threaten Western Europe.”

In principle, Belgium had backed NATO’s 1979 decision to deploy 572 nuclear cruise and Pershing-2 missiles in five European nations to offset the deployment of triple-warhead Soviet SS-20 missiles.

Arms Talk Result Awaited

But it has, until now, delayed a final decision to take its share of the missiles, saying it wanted to await the outcome of East-West arms talks.

In Washington, White House spokesman Larry Speakes, said the Administration applauded the Belgian move and hoped the Netherlands now will also proceed with deployment.

The Dutch are scheduled to make a final deployment decision on their share of 48 cruise missiles by Nov. 1. NATO officials have always considered a Belgian go-ahead as crucial to sway the Dutch vote.

The Belgian missiles will be deployed at Florennes air base, 40 miles south of Brussels.

Political Setback Feared

Members of Martens’ coalition government, composed of his Christian Democrats and the Liberal Party, had expressed fears that they would lose ground to the Socialists in general elections this December if Belgium went ahead with the missiles.

After a 3 1/2-hour Cabinet meeting this morning, the premier emerged saying they had “reached an overall agreement.”

Martens said the remaining 32 cruise missiles will be fully deployed by the end of 1987 unless there is an East-West agreement to limit medium-range nuclear missiles throughout Europe.

If there is a “limited agreement,” he said, Belgium would approve a “limited deployment.” And if the United States and the Soviet Union agree to remove any existing missiles--President Reagan’s so-called “zero option”--”every necessity for Belgium to deploy would disappear.”