What Can SALT Halt?

(2 of 2)

If both sides wanted to save the cost of further developing these weapons —especially the deadly offensive weapon —they could agree early to halt testing on MIRV during the negotiations. The Pentagon, however, has argued strongly for completion of testing so that its full development, if necessary, can be assured. Rogers said only that "we are obviously considering the questions of MIRVs." Rogers also said that he did not expect the U.S. to offer a comprehensive proposal to the Russians. The implication was that the U.S. would feel its way in the talks, issue by issue.

Moscow, while announcing the negotiations simultaneously with Washington, has not even said who will represent the Soviets in Helsinki. The chief of the U.S. delegation will be Gerard Smith, 55, a lawyer who served as senior adviser on atomic and disarmament policies in the Eisenhower Administration and is now director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. Smith has already had one notable success in getting through to the Russians. Shortly before the Kennedy victory in 1960, he suggested the" hot line between Washington and Moscow.