‘Serious’ U.S., Soviet Arms Talks End

U.S. and Soviet arms negotiators today ended two days of talks today considered by the Reagan Administration to be crucial to preparations for a second superpower summit later this year.

Soviet Foreign Ministry spokesman Gennady Gerasimov termed them “businesslike and a fair exchange of views” and said they centered on space-based weapons such as “Star Wars” and a nuclear test ban.

Paul H. Nitze, assistant secretary of state for arms control and the head of the U.S. team, said the discussions were “serious” but hinted, before today’s session, that little concrete progress had been made. No final comment was given by the U.S. side, which left for Europe in the afternoon.

The talks took place in an isolated country guest house at Neshcherino, about 25 miles south of Moscow. Today’s final session lasted less than five hours.

Speakes Cautious

White House spokesman Larry Speakes said in Washington that the Moscow gathering was “an important step leading to a summit” but cautioned that the outcome “remains to be seen.”

But Gerasimov said that Speakes misspoke and that the talks were not aimed directly at the summit.