President Sends New Proposals to Geneva Talks
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WASHINGTON — President Reagan, in the midst of tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions, has approved a new set of arms control proposals to be presented to the Soviets by U.S. negotiators in Geneva, an Administration official said today.
The new U.S. proposals, taking the form of instructions to Max M. Kampelman, the chief U.S. delegate to the superpower arms talks, call for cutbacks in long-range weapons and defend the U.S. “Star Wars” anti-missile program.
The official, who demanded anonymity, said the proposals were less sweeping than those Reagan made to Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev at the summit meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Left out of the package was a U.S. position on reducing intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe. But the official said Kampelman would be sent instructions on this issue sometime soon.
The instructions were transmitted to Geneva Tuesday night after they were reviewed by the Pentagon, the official said.
While expelling diplomats, the White House and State Department urged Moscow not to let the dispute stand in the way of arms control negotiations.
Richard Combs, the U.S. deputy ambassador in Moscow, visited with officials today at the Soviet Foreign Ministry to explain the U.S. position.
“I don’t have anything by way of a response,” Charles E. Redman, the State Department spokesman, said.
He said problems were inevitably a part of U.S.-Soviet relations. “It’s not a black-white situation,” Redman said. “There are going to be challenges to be met.”
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