U.S., Soviets Hold Intensive Talks in Geneva Despite SALT Violation

Despite the American violation of the SALT II treaty, a special four-day session of U.S.-Soviet nuclear arms talks opened here Tuesday with what proved to be the most intensive working day since the current round of talks began in March of 1985.

After a morning plenary session of more than two hours, all three of the separate negotiating teams met in the afternoon for detailed discussions on the post-Reykjavik positions on proposed cuts in strategic nuclear weapons, intermediate-range weapons based in Europe and weapons in space, including President Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative, known as “Star Wars.” There was no public comment from either side.

It was the first time that all three of the separate negotiating teams have held full-dress working meetings on the same day, along with a full plenary session of the chief delegates and subordinate team directors. Ambassador Max M. Kampelman is the chief American negotiator, and his Soviet counterpart is Viktor P. Karpov.

Talks to Continue Today

Working meetings of the individual groups will continue today and Thursday, with a concluding plenary session scheduled for Friday.

This special round of talks was agreed to before the United States broke away from the constraints of the unratified second strategic arms limitation treaty with the deployment last week of a 131st B-52 bomber capable of carrying cruise missiles. The talks are expected to provide what Kampelman, in an arrival statement, called “clarifications and greater understanding” before the next full negotiating round begins Jan. 15.