Shultz Sees Medium-Range Missile Pact

Secretary of State George P. Shultz told the Senate today that the United States and Soviet Union may reach an agreement on medium-range missiles before agreeing on other weapon systems in the nuclear arms talks.

Shultz declined to answer questions about the talks in Geneva after a private briefing of the Senate. But Sen. Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.), chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said Shultz indicated that movement may come first in the Intermediate Nuclear Force (INF) missile talks.

The Geneva talks cover three categories: strategic arsenals, “Star Wars” missile defensive systems and intermediate-range missiles--U.S. Pershing 2 and cruise missiles, and Soviet SS-20 and related non-ballistic missiles.

Soviets Stress All 3

The Soviets have insisted that any arms treaty must include agreement in all three areas, but Washington has accused the Kremlin of holding progress in the medium-range missile talks hostage to stopping President Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative, the official name of the “Star Wars” program.

Lugar said Shultz reported no real progress in the arms talks as a result of President Reagan’s summit with Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev this week. But he said Shultz indicated the possibility that “an interim agreement on INF might be separated somewhat from the package.”