Nation: Why Moscow Stalled SALT

Carter's China deal may cause more trouble than he expected

Never had hopes for a SALT II agreement been higher. Success seemed so imminent at the pre-Christmas conference in Geneva that two key members of the U.S. delegation flew home for the holidays, Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko announced plans to depart for Moscow, and arrangements were made for reporters to be briefed extensively in the U.S. on the details of the new arms control treaty. In Washington, the White House alerted the TV networks that President Carter might be making a major statement...