NATO Urges Go-Ahead on ‘Star Wars’ : Defense Chiefs Say Space Program Is in Europe’s Interest

NATO defense ministers today urged the United States to move ahead with research on a space-based missile defense and said the program is in the Western alliance’s security interests.

U.S. Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger said he was “extremely pleased” by the allies’ support for the research, which the Soviet Union has said would start an arms race in space.

The ministers, in a closing statement at their regular spring strategy session, also pledged to continue installation of 572 medium-range nuclear missiles in Western Europe unless an arms control pact is reached at the U.S.-Soviet talks in Geneva.

134 Missiles Deployed

Lord Carrington, the NATO secretary-general, disclosed for the first time that 134 of the U.S. cruise and Pershing 2 missiles have been deployed in Europe. NATO previously had kept the figures secret.

Noting that the Soviet Union is attempting to develop its own defensive weapons for possible deployment in space, the NATO officials said U.S. research of space weapons--often called “Star Wars”--is “prudent” and should continue.

The ministers also welcomed a formal invitation issued by Weinberger Tuesday for the allies to participate in the multibillion-dollar research of space weaponry.

Michael Heseltine, the British defense secretary, said in an interview that “you can be sure” Britain will join in the U.S. research effort, although British officials have expressed mixed feelings about the feasibility of the program.

France Stays Aloof

France, whose skepticism of “Star Wars” has been more vocal than the other NATO partners, was not party to the Luxembourg declaration in support of the research. It does not participate in NATO defense planning.

Although the Danish defense minister joined in today’s declaration, his country’s Parliament instructed the government Tuesday to refuse the U.S. invitation to participate.

Australian officials said today that their country also will refuse to participate. Australia was one of three non-NATO countries formally invited by Weinberger to join the program. The others were Japan and Israel.