ARMS CONTROL STICKING POINTS

Here are some main points of disagreement in U.S.-Soviet arms control negotiations, one of the issues to be discussed at the superpower summit that begins May 30. Strategic Arms Reduction Talks: The two sides disagree on range limits for cruise missiles deployed on aircraft and naval forces. The U.S. is resisting limits on future deployments of sea-launched cruise missiles. Also disputed are limits on mobile land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles and anti-cheating measures. Conventional Forces in Europe: Two main obstacles are defining limits on aircraft and personnel. Work also remains on tanks, armored combat vehicles, artillery and helicopters. Anti-cheating provisions are in an early stage of discussion, and the virtual dissolution of the Warsaw Pact has opened new debate about how the treaty would be applied to individual nations. Chemical Weapons: Soviets are resisting an American plan to retain about 500 tons of poison gas, or about 2% of the U.S. stockpile, after signing a global ban on the weapons. As a precursor to such a ban, the superpowers are negotiating a bilateral deal to reduce their stockpiles to 5,000 tons. Open Skies: These NATO-Warsaw Pact negotiations to allow unarmed aircraft of each alliance to fly over the territory of the other are snagged on quotas for such flights and what types of sensors would be allowed on the aircraft. Nuclear Testing Talks: Highly technical and relatively minor disagreements remain, and settlement is expected in time for signing at the summit. The aim is to set verification measures for two existing but unratified treaties that limit the yield of nuclear tests.