'Pact will save cash’

Press, 7 April 1979, Page 8

'Pact will save cash’

NZPA Washington The United States Defence Secretary (Mr Harold Brown) has said that a new arms limitation agreement with the Soviet Union would save the United States from spending an additional SUS3O billion over the next 10 years to maintain the nuclear balance. Mr Brown also said the S.A.L.T. II agreement, which he described as “very close” to completion, w’ould improve the “survivability” of United States land-based Minuteman missiles by restricting Soviet launchers and the numbers of _warheads. Without such curbs, . Mr Brown ■ said, the Soviets could put up to 40 warheads on each of their biggest weapons and they “could have nearly one-third more strategic systems than- with the agreement.” The Pentagon chief made

these points-in a speech prepared for a New’ York City meeting of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Foreign Policy Association. It was the latest shot in the Carter Administration’s new effort to sell the strategic arms limitation treaty. The Administration’s drive for support appeared aimed, at the outset, at influential groups whose members might persuade senators now wavering or opposed to the impending treaty to support it. Some observers believe the Administration will have to fight to muster the necessary two-thirds Senate vote for ratification. Amid indications that final agreement could be near, Mr Brown said, “there are at least two or three remaining major issues” to be nailed 'down finally, involving veriification and limits on new missiles. <