Ready for Conventional Arms Pact in ‘90, East Bloc Says

Warsaw Pact countries will be ready to conclude a conventional arms treaty next year, chief Soviet negotiator Oleg A. Grinevsky declared Thursday at the reopening of arms control talks.

Although cautioning that “frankly speaking, it is not an easy thing to do,” Grinevsky said the Warsaw Pact delegates in Vienna are prepared to meet the six- to 12-month timetable called for in May by President Bush.

The opening of the third round of the conventional arms talks was marred by the failure of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization nations to present a package acceptable to all NATO members.

Objections by Greece

Greece objected to the limit of 40,000 troops permitted on maneuvers, sources said, primarily because of fear that Turkey--its NATO ally but regional antagonist--might mount such a force against it. The Greek government would like the ceiling much lower, these sources added.

Britain and France reportedly object to a U.S. proposal for nearly unlimited inspections of weapons plants by both sides because of the expense involved and the possibility of industrial espionage.

As the chief U.S. negotiator, Stephen Ledogar, put it Thursday: “Geography is the culprit.” By that, Ledogar said, he means that the United States, not having weapons-production plants in or near Europe, is pushing for more stringent verification inspections.

“Countries with production plants in the European areas . . . tend to be more concerned about the intrusiveness and the cost of frequent inspections,” he said.

The NATO proposals, worked out by a special committee at the 16-nation organization’s Brussels headquarters, are to include limitations on large-scale maneuvers, notice of major call-ups of reservists and a wide range of verification inspections.

Ledogar said he hopes that the differences among NATO negotiators can be resolved within days and a unanimous proposal made to envoys of the seven-nation Warsaw Pact. The NATO nations, he said, are entering this round of talks in an “optimistic but realistic” mood.

But Grinevsky said the key issue is Soviet insistence that “defensive” interceptor fighters not be included in the reduction of combat aircraft in Europe.

The NATO position is that interceptors, which constitute half the Soviet air force, could easily be reconfigured to serve as offensive aircraft. Grinevsky denied this contention Thursday.

Further, the Soviets object to the NATO position that light tanks should be excluded from overall tank reduction totals.

“I sometimes don’t understand our Western colleagues,” Grinevsky said. “We are prepared to reduce 40,000 main battle tanks--and they are arguing about excluding 600 to 800 light tanks.”

The Soviets also argue that some of the 160,000 non-American troops stationed mostly in West Germany should also be reduced.

The 23-nation talks began in March. The current Vienna session is expected to last about six weeks.