Shultz Disputes Weinberger on Deploying SDI

Secretary of State George P. Shultz, reluctantly setting up a clash with Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger over the “Star Wars” program, said Tuesday that no decision on early deployment of a space-based missile defense system can or should be made this year.

Shultz’s comments, made in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, followed a closed meeting earlier in the day between President Reagan and Republican congressional leaders. Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) said that at the meeting, Reagan appeared to support Weinberger on the early deployment issue.

Immediate Controversy

Dole’s remarks created immediate controversy, prompting the White House to issue a statement that no such decision on deployment has been made. And, on Capitol Hill, one Democratic congressional staff member said, “Congress has done all it can to say, ‘We ain’t deploying yet.’ ”

Shultz said that research on “Star Wars”--the Strategic Defense Initiative--is making better progress than expected but stressed that he does not believe that the Administration is close to a decision on near-term deployment.

“At what point there will be material in hand to make a decision (of) ‘yes, we can go ahead and deploy,’ I don’t know . . . but it isn’t right now,” he said. When asked whether the decision could be made this year, he replied: “I shouldn’t think so.”

Shultz disclosed his views--which differ markedly with those of Weinberger--only after repeated questioning and indicated that he had been hoping to avoid an open confrontation with his fellow Cabinet member.

“I believe what I’ve stated is consistent with what he stated. The differences between us are usually exaggerated,” Shultz maintained, adding that “I think it’s a matter that needs to be continually reviewed and appraised, appraising the program and seeing where it stands.”

But one senior Administration official, when informed that Shultz had differed in public with the Pentagon chief on the deployment issue, noted: “That’s not the first time.”

Review of Project’s Progress

The debate erupted on the same day that Reagan and senior national security officials attended a formal White House meeting to review progress on the project. A senior Administration official said they were looking at “the ramifications of some kind of restructuring of the program, in terms of cost and survivability and its relationship to the ABM treaty.”

Opponents of the system, adopting a narrow interpretation of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, argue that the pact bans deployment of a missile defense system, as well as certain research and development crucial to progress on such a project.

The program is being developed in accordance with the narrow reading of the ABM treaty, Shultz said, and the President continues to adhere to that definition--even though he maintains that a broader interpretation allowing “Star Wars” deployment could be justified.

Initially, the White House argued that the multibillion-dollar Strategic Defense Initiative is no more than a long-term research project designed to determine whether a defense against long-range, nuclear-tipped missiles is feasible. Recently, however, Weinberger has begun promoting the possibility of deciding to attempt to quickly deploy the initial elements of such a defense system.

Lt. Gen. James Abrahamson, director of the Pentagon’s Strategic Defense Initiative Office, has briefed Reagan and other top-level officials, telling them in effect that “the progress has been enormous--much more than we expected in the past year,” a senior Administration official said.

Time Running Short

But officials have also recognized that time is running short for key decisions to be made in the Reagan presidency, which has only two years left, and that there is no guarantee that his successor will favor the effort.

As Weinberger has pushed publicly and forcefully for an early deployment of initial phases of a “Star Wars” network, the White House has found itself under increasing pressure to disclose the President’s views. Reagan had been encouraged by conservatives in Congress to announce a decision to move toward deployment during his State of the Union address last week, but he decided against such a step.

However, when Dole emerged from the White House meeting Tuesday morning and indicated that the President favored Weinberger’s position, his remarks were seen as an indication that Reagan had made a decision.

“I think the President supports deployment in the early phase, and I would conclude from that, he can do that without getting in the way of arms control,” Dole said. “The secretary of defense supports deployment of the first phase, and the President indicated this was consistent with further discussions on arms control.”

But Dole’s interpretation was quickly disputed by the White House. While appearing anxious to avoid contradicting a key Republican senator, officials stressed that very little was said on the subject at the meeting, which was on the budget, and that they could see nothing in the President’s remarks that would have led Dole to make the statement.

“There was one question on SDI, a very brief discussion by Secretary Weinberger. But I would say that there was no indication from the President of any kind on the subject,” White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said. “I think he said it’s under review, or we’re working on it.”