THE VENICE SUMMIT : Bonn Is Assured It Can Keep Missiles : Pershing 1As Won’t Be Included in A-Arms Pact, U.S. Tells W. Germans

The United States gave public assurances to West Germany here Wednesday that Bonn’s short-range Pershing 1A ballistic missiles will not be included in any agreement with the Soviet Union on withdrawing nuclear weapons from Europe.

The American position, which is expected to be endorsed at a meeting of North Atlantic Treaty Organization foreign ministers opening today in Reykjavik, Iceland, was spelled out at a news conference by President Reagan’s national security adviser, Frank C. Carlucci.

Reagan will speak to the nation Monday on the results of the summit conference, which ended here Wednesday, and the Reykjavik talks.

Carlucci also made it clear that the U.S. Navy will provide protection in the Persian Gulf only for U.S.-flag vessels. There will be no protection for U.S.-owned tankers or other ships flying foreign flags of convenience, he said, although he added that “this does not preclude on a case-by-case basis escorting a non-U.S.-flag vessel where the cargo is of particular importance.”

Other Registrations

Many American-owned, ocean-going cargo ships are registered abroad, in such countries as Liberia and Panama, to economize on such things as wages and the cost of safety standards.

Carlucci acknowledged that cargo ships flying the U.S. flag in the Persian Gulf area, where Iran and Iraq are at war, make up a very small percentage of the total. Earlier statements from the Pentagon, including those by Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger three weeks ago at a news conference in Norway, had appeared to indicate that the U.S. Navy was working on a plan to protect all ships moving through the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the gulf.

On retaining West Germany’s aging, 450-mile-range Pershing 1A missiles, Carlucci said: “It is our position that they should be kept off the table, that they should not be part of the negotiating process. If the Soviet Union is sincere in wanting an agreement, there’s no reason to introduce this kind of proposal at the last minute.”

The West Germans bought 72 Pershing 1A missiles from the United States nearly 20 years ago, long before the present generation of Pershing 2s and cruise intermediate-range missiles were introduced into Europe. The Pershing 1As, classed as “short-range intermediate nuclear forces,” carry either conventional West German warheads or nuclear warheads owned and controlled by the United States.

‘Zero-Zero’ Formula

The West German government agreed last week to accept the “zero-zero” formula for the withdrawal from Europe of all U.S. and Soviet medium- and short-range intermediate nuclear forces. This is the formula now being negotiated in Geneva. West Germany continues to insist, however, that the older generation of Pershings must remain.

The West German position was accepted by President Reagan in a 40-minute talk with Chancellor Helmut Kohl on Monday and was made a matter of public record by Carlucci.

Carlucci said that the Soviets did not raise the issue during Secretary of State George P. Shultz’s visit to Moscow in April but demanded soon afterward that the old short-range Pershings be withdrawn as part of any zero-zero deal.

Carlucci insisted that the Pershing 1As should not be “part of the Soviet-American negotiating process.” British and French nuclear weapons are also outside the scope of the Geneva talks. The French in particular are supporting West Germany in its insistence on retaining the Pershings.

U.S. sources said they are confident that in the end this will not block agreement at Geneva.

The Geneva negotiations on intermediate nuclear forces were also the focus of a 25-minute meeting held by Reagan on Wednesday with President Francois Mitterrand of France. A senior White House official, speaking on condition that he not be further identified, said that Mitterrand told Reagan, “Our position is go on and succeed.”

The official said Reagan gave the French president his assurance that the United States will not include the arsenals of other countries in the talks, telling him: “We are not negotiating for third countries.”