Allies Unanimous in Hailing Bush Initiative

America’s allies at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit meeting here reacted with unstinting praise Monday for President Bush’s surprise arms reduction proposals.

As West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl put it: “With his great initiative for rapidly reducing conventional arms, President Bush has today paved the way for further success of our alliance.

“I congratulate him on this far-sighted step, with which he has once more impressively affirmed the United States’ leadership.”

British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was reported by aides to have said that Bush’s proposals for cutting conventional arms in Europe had “transformed” the summit.

All other national leaders praised the Bush initiative, even French President Francois Mitterrand, who is loath to see any major troop reduction in Europe.

The French, while not participating members of NATO’s military structure, have been the most hawkish in maintaining a large standing army--50,000 troops in West Germany--and an independent nuclear weapons force.

“I think it’s impressive,” said Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney of Bush’s initiative. “It is worthy of very serious consideration, which is what it’s receiving.”

Asked for her reaction, Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Haarlem Brundtland responded: “Very positive,” the same words used by Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez.

“Good proposal,” said Belgian Prime Minister Wilfried Martens, and Danish Foreign Minister Uffe Ellemann-Jensen called Bush’s ideas “excellent” and “very positive.”

“It will give NATO the initiative in the conventional arms talks in Vienna,” he added.