The World - News from July 19, 1989

The United States and the Soviet Union have reached agreement on key issues for a chemical weapons ban, but American officials cautioned that a global treaty is not at hand. Ambassador Max Friedersdorf, head of the U.S. delegation to the 40-nation Conference on Disarmament, said in Geneva that the superpowers have made progress in the latest round of talks, but “I don’t think there is any reason to be euphoric.” State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the two nations are holding bilateral discussions on technical issues relating to a worldwide ban. Their recommendations will be reported to the multinational conference.