Why Reykjavik? It’s Quiet--and Has a U.S. Air Base

Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard A. Shevardnadze jokingly suggested today that Reykjavik, Iceland, was proposed as the site for the U.S.-Soviet pre-summit summit because it has the protection of a U.S. air base.

At a news conference at the Soviet mission to the United Nations, Shevardnadze was asked why Iceland was chosen for the meeting between President Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev Oct. 11-12.

“Why Iceland?” he said through an interpreter. “Other places were discussed. But Chairman Gorbachev said what we need is a working season, in a working atmosphere, without unnecessary fuss, without advertising and the number of reporters will be small. Reykjavik is a particular city of graciousness, a small-sized city very favorable for working and to achieve results.

“Let me tell you a secret. There is a very big (U.S.) Air Force base there. So we feel very secure.”

The U.S. Iceland Defense Force is not that big.

It consists of 3,000 U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force personnel. Canada, Demark and Norway, all members of NATO, also keep personnel at the strategically located base at Keflavik near Reykjavik. Navy P-3 patrol planes fly out of the base to keep track of Soviet submarines.