Premier Criticizes Reagan for Ignorance on Belgium

Belgian Prime Minister Wilfried Martens today unveiled a book of reminiscences in which he spoke of astonishment at President Reagan’s unwillingness to make a positive gesture toward Moscow earlier this year and his ignorance of Belgian politics.

The book, which includes Martens’ impressions of other world leaders, was launched at a press conference less than four weeks before general elections in Belgium.

Martens said he went to see Reagan before the Belgian government took its decision in March to install new U.S. nuclear missiles.

He said the Belgians wanted at the time to couple the decision with a “positive gesture” toward Moscow.

Reagan said he had no objections to new consultations with his allies, then added: “But we will vote no.”

Martens said Reagan and his aides seemed taken completely by surprise when told the Belgian government had yet to make its final decision on deployment of the missiles.

“For my part, I could not understand how the Americans could not be aware of Belgian political developments since 1979 and that they ignored that a major political decision had yet to be taken before the missiles could arrive at Florennes (a Belgian air force base),” he added.

Martens described former West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt as standing head and shoulders above his European partners. “No one else could influence others as much as he did,” he said.

He said British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had “an impetuous political temperament” and he described French President Francois Mitterrand as “a charming man” who listens well and speaks little but is quick to formulate clear views.

Opinion polls show that Martens, 49, remains Belgium’s most popular politician. He hopes to be returned at the elections to head his sixth coalition of Christian Democrats and Liberals.