NATO Disputes Warsaw Pact Claims of Parity in Weapons

BRUSSELS —  NATO today disputed Warsaw Pact claims that a “rough parity” exists between Eastern and Western conventional forces in Europe, saying the Eastern Bloc remains vastly superior in troops, tanks, aircraft and artillery.

“It is clear that the idea of a rough parity of forces in Europe does not correspond to the factual situation,” a North Atlantic Treaty Organization spokesman said a day after the Polish news agency PAP, in an unprecedented move, released a detailed report on Warsaw Pact conventional strength.

PAP said the figures show an “approximate” military balance in conventional arms with NATO and called on the Western alliance to follow the East Bloc’s example of unilateral reductions.

“It is . . . of particular significance that the Soviet figures admit to a 2-to-1 advantage in tanks and a 3-to-1 advantage in armored personnel carriers,” said the NATO spokesman, speaking from the Western alliance’s headquarters in Brussels.

The figures published by the Warsaw Pact show manpower levels roughly equal to NATO’s, but with NATO ahead in strike aircraft, combat helicopters and anti-tank rocket systems. The Warsaw Pact led in tanks, tactical missile launchers, interceptor planes, combat vehicles and artillery.