PLEA ON MISSILES IS SENT TO SOVIET

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP70B00338R000300090106-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 9, 2006
• Sequence Number: 106
• Publication Date: January 15, 1967
• Content Type: NSPR

! PW' YO)RIK Tilt crc
Approved For Relea%2TQ /b'y~0 : CIA-RDP70B00338R000300$010679
0
$2-BIllian by
PLEA T ON ~~r7 I1SSIITTLES Since nce 1?5 n,59 the eat C United Ti. S.
ON U\ the States
has cprnt more than $2-billiony
IS SENT TO SOVIET! in the development. of an nnG-t
ballisticui scile defense system?
called the Niire X. Despite con-'
siderahle pressure from Con
U.S. Calling for Moratorium gressional and military advo
cafes of t.hn ;} ,tcrp, the Adminl
Rocket Defense Istratlon ha:. refused to move
tl
C
y
on
os
ahearl with rrrducthn and del
-4 . . . . . . .. . It
ld
' f`om
cou
s
5peclaltoIn#NewYork Timel u-billion to .j~i't?brlllOn.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1I Srcrefarv of Defense RnherI
Th
i.
e ape .a. 11111-jn' ~.-.?.- - be Opposed to entering a racri
Moscow by the new United; with the Soviet Union to deploy
1. states ambassador, Llewellyn' An extensive network on the
E. Thompson, appeals to Soviet) ground that some missiles could'
leaders for an agreement not tot penetrate even such a' costly`
deploy, antimissile defense sys-' and massive defense, killing
tams on both sides, o c s di:-. millions. ?
closed today. Mr. McNamara's argumcnt?10
that the best deterrent is imp
Message Tuesday night, Presi-? - 7hp l resident fiats confirmed
dent Johnson Indicated that reports Lha.t the Soviet Union
Washington had decided to de- has 'Increased pressure on hint
v
e. t
far deployment of such a sys. match thi; mo
tern and hoped Moscow would The entire issue It expected
! to he viFnt?n?1y debated in Cony;
follow suit, thereb preventing;. gresa? after the President sub
another costi spiral in the arms mit,c his Budget Messa.7e.
race. Mr. Johnson has.argued Lliat'
The official sources said that the United States and, the Sol
the President's note would be'vi?t Union have a "common inwi
delivered to President Nikola.l terest" in reeking greater secu-t
V. Podgorn by Mr.. Thompson,;; r'.ty through disarmament ratei.
who arrived in Moscow Wednes than throiigh increased military
day to take up his post.
exrenditures.
The Ambassador's approach! The feint Chiefs of Staffs
will be the first diplomatic fol are In favor of putting up gy
Union`
f th
St
t
l
-
e
a
e o
]owup to the
y
-even if on
missile defense
address, the sources added., limited In size and capability-?
On his 'arrival in Moscow,,, that would serve as a deterrettd
Mr. Thompson said only that hei aganst . Communist China,
`
bore a special message from Mr, which Is developing in
often
Johnson to the Kremlin leaders.give nu.spar,'ea,DttbillrtaV, '0'.
-
Hopes for Better Itelatlonti I The officials said the message
also expressed President John-
son's hope for improved rela-
dons with the Soviet Anion.
They said it touched on a numb
ber of issues, presumably in-
eluded Vietnam. East-West eco-
nomic relatiosn, the recently
concluded treaty to outlaw nu-
clear weapons in space and ex-
pansion of cultural exchanges.
On the issue of missile de-
fense systems, the President
was reported to have made an
urgent plea to the Russians to
freeze the deployment of the
antimissile defense they ,have
already begun.
"We have the duty td slow
down the arms race between
us, in both conventional and nu-;.
'clear. weapons and defenses,/'
the President said in his' State
.:. of the Union address. "Any ad-
ditional waste 'of resources with
no gain' In security'. to either
Approved For Release 2006/01/30 : CIA-RDP70B00338R000300090106-9