Soviets Link Arms Cuts to ‘Star Wars’ Rejection

Chief Soviet arms negotiator Viktor P. Karpov today firmly linked any reductions in the superpowers’ nuclear weapons arsenals to U.S. abandonment of its “Star Wars” space defense program.

Karpov, speaking to reporters before resuming presentation of new Soviet proposals at the 7-month-old superpower arms talks, said Moscow had never opposed basic scientific research but was sticking to its demand for a ban on the development and testing of space weapons.

Karpov said the Soviet proposals are reasonable and are aimed at making a success of the Nov. 19-20 summit in Geneva between President Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhael S. Gorbachev.

But he also said the proposed deal links any limitation of existing long-range and medium-range nuclear weapons to a scrapping of the U.S. Strategic Defense Initiative and a ban on space weapons, including testing and development.

Reagan has repeatedly said SDI, commonly known as “Star Wars,” is not negotiable and last week repeated that his $26-billion program to develop a defensive shield that can shoot down missiles in space would be continued.

Karpov said the Soviets were not opposed to “basic research, basic science,” but that, “we are against any research that leads to the creation of space strike weapons.”

“Every sane man shouldn’t want the ‘Star Wars’ project,” he said. “It leads to more instability. It leads to an increasing danger of war . . . despite all words to the contrary.”

The Soviet proposals--said by officials in Washington to call for cuts of up to 50% in nuclear arsenals if SDI is abandoned--were outlined by Foreign Minister Eduard A. Shevardnadze in his meeting with President Reagan last Friday at the White House and presented to U.S. arms negotiators in plenary sessions Monday and today in Geneva.