Use of ‘Star Wars’ as Bargaining Chip Suggested

A Senate group monitoring U.S.-Soviet arms talks and upset by the slow progress suggested Friday that the United States consider curbing its “Star Wars” space-defense effort if the Soviets agree to reduce their “vast array” of space and nuclear weapons.

“I think the Strategic Defense Initiative (known informally as “Star Wars”) is on the table as much as anything could be on the table that involves a new concept,” Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), co-chairman of the Senate Arms Control Observation Group, said at a press conference.

But Stevens also said it is ludicrous for the Soviets to contend that “Star Wars” research is an obstacle to progress in the arms-reduction talks. While the United States has only begun studying space weapons, he said, the Soviets have tested such weapons both in space and in conventional jet aircraft.

Stevens’ remarks came as Vice President George Bush, on a 10-day visit to Europe, was also expressing criticism of the Soviet arms buildup. Bush said in Brussels that new figures on Soviet deployment of its SS-20 medium-range nuclear missiles do not show “the restraint that perhaps had been advocated by the Soviet Union” in its public statements.

More Launching Sites

The figures, made public by officials of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Brussels, showed that the Soviets have deployed 423 SS-20s, compared to 378 last autumn, and are building more launching sites for the missiles in the eastern and western parts of the country.

“The Soviets don’t feel inhibited about deploying their SS-20s,” Bush said after meeting with NATO ministers. “I think the evidence is objective, and it’s overwhelming.”

In Washington, a Pentagon official said there is “nothing to indicate the rate of deployment has changed” from past projections.

Both Bush and Stevens aimed their remarks at Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev, who accused the United States on Wednesday of blocking progress in the Geneva arms talks by continuing to develop land- and space-based weapons. The United States later called the charges a “thinly veiled threat” to walk out of the Geneva talks.

In Geneva, another member of the Senate watchdog group, Sen. Gary Hart (D-Colo.), warned against getting “too wrought up” over what Gorbachev said. He said it could be an effort by a still-new Soviet leader to please internal political observers.

Another member of the Senate group, Sen. Sam Nunn (D-Ga.), said the United States could not abandon space-weapons research, as the Soviets demand, because it is impossible to verify that either side is not engaging in new weapons research rather than testing or deployment.

Treaty Violations

The Soviets might find the United States more willing to discuss curbs on its “Star Wars” research effort, he said, if the Soviets stop violating arms control treaties.

While Nunn and the other senators agreed that the Soviet Union is the “main impediment” to a new arms control treaty, several said they are discouraged by the apparent lack of progress on both sides.

Sen. Claiborne Pell (D-R.I.) said the group was disturbed as “citizens of the world” by the slowness of negotiations.

The vice president, midway through his trip, which will take him to seven European countries, is to fly to Paris today for meetings with President Francois Mitterrand and others, then on to London for a session with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Michael Wines reported from Geneva and James Gerstenzang from Washington.