Gorbachev Proposes Arms Talks With Britain, France : 3-Point Plan for Cutback in Weapons

Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev disclosed details today of a new three-point Soviet plan for reducing superpower strategic arsenals by 50% and offered to talk directly with France and Britain on reducing their independent nuclear forces.

Gorbachev outlined three major elements of the Soviet plan in a speech to French legislators: to cut strategic weapons one-half in exchange for a ban on space weapons; to talk with France and Britain on reducing nuclear weapons in Europe, and to unilaterally reduce Soviet medium-range missiles targeted on Europe.

He said the Soviet Union is cutting back its SS-20 medium-range missiles in Europe to 243, the number he said were deployed in June, 1984.

“There can be no victors in a nuclear war,” the Soviet leader said. “It is time to draw a practical conclusion from this--to stop the nuclear arms race.

“A few days ago we proposed to the government of the United States to come to terms on the total prohibition of space-strike arms for both sides and to reduce really radically, by 50%, the nuclear arms capable of reaching each other’s territory,” he said.

Reagan Program ‘Naive’

Referring to the Reagan Administration’s “Star Wars” program for research on space-based missile defense systems, Gorbachev said it is “naive . . . to search for a solution of the problem of security in the perfection of the shield and the sword.”

Gorbachev noted that the French have insisted that their independent nuclear forces cannot be negotiated without French participation. The British also have refused to be included in the present U.S.-Soviet arms control negotiations.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization insists that the independent British and French arms not be included as part of its arsenal in the reduction negotiations with the Soviets, and the Soviets have rejected the NATO position.

“The Soviet Union is prepared for such a direct dialogue with France just as with Britain,” Gorbachev said.

Michel Vauzelle, spokesman for French President Francois Mitterrand, said there will be no comment on Gorbachev’s proposal until the joint news conference the two leaders are to hold Friday morning.

No Reagan Objection

The British Foreign Office reiterated its longstanding position that the superpowers must make sharp cuts in their nuclear forces before Britain will consider reductions in its independent force.

Reagan, visiting Cincinnati, said he has no objection to separate Soviet negotiations with France and Britain.

“Certainly the United States cannot negotiate with the Soviets about what they’re going to do with regard to the nuclear missiles of other countries,” he said.

Reagan added, “Everything they are saying is a change in their position.”

In Washington, an official with the Arms Control Development Agency said he believes that Gorbachev’s proposal for direct arms talks with Britain and France had not been put before Reagan last week when Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard A. Shevardnadze presented Soviet arms proposals in Washington.

Britain’s nuclear force is composed of 64 Polaris missiles deployed on 4 submarines.

The French have 80 missiles on 4 submarines, 18 intermediate-range ground-based missiles and 4 squadrons of jet fighters equipped with nuclear missiles.

The Soviet move to reduce its deployment of three-warhead SS-20s in Europe appeared aimed at the Dutch government.

The Hague said in June that it would allow deployment of NATO cruise missiles on its soil only if the Soviets had more than 378 missiles deployed as of Nov. 1. NATO has said the Soviets now have 441 SS-20s.