DISARMAMENT ISSUES THEME FOR VOGEL TOUR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85M00363R000300450019-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 7, 2007
• Sequence Number: 19
• Publication Date: January 5, 1983
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2007/09/07 :CIA-RDP85M00363R000300450019-4
;~
Disarmament .issues
theme 'for Vogel` `tour'
menuand~V gel said those calling
on the superpowers to end the arms
race are increasing in number and
could no longer be ignored. -
"This was one of the reasons I
visited the pope inRome - to thank
him for his tireless and persistent
efforts in voicing these fears and
calling for a peaceful solution," he
said.
Asked whether he saw recent
Soviet proposals to reduce its nuclear
arsenal in Eastern Europe as more
than propaganda, Vogel said: "Yes,
I presume there is more to them,
even if such proposals can always
be used to popularize one's own
stand."
West German Foreign Minister
Hans-Dietrich Genscher has warned
of confusing polemics, propaganda
and substace while the Geneva talks
were in process.
In a statement issued by the For-
eign Ministry in response to the
Soviet Union's latest declaration on
arms reductions, he said: "It is as
necegsary to reject polemics directed
at the Western position as it is impor-
tant to use the undeniable substan-
tial progress on the Soviet side:' ~
BONN (Reuters) -Hans-Jochen
Vogel, West Germany's Social Dem-
ocratic (SPD) opposition candidate ,
for chancellor, is to meet President
Reagan for talks on disarmament
issues in Washington this week.
An SPD spokesman in Bonn said
Vogel's three-day visit, starting today,
also will include a meeting with Sec-
retary of State George Shultz, who
was in Bonn last month.
Vogel is also due in Moscow next
week to meet with Soviet leader Yuri
Andropov and Foreigm Minister
Andrei Gromyko. Disarmament also
will be the main topic then, the SPD
spokesman said.
Gromyko will pay an official two-
day visit to Bonn on Jan. 16.
West Germany is facing early gen-
eral elections in March and a key
election issue is the prospect of 572
t>tew medium-range missiles due to
be installed in Western Europe unless
Moscow and Washington agree on
arms reduction in Geneva.
In an interview broadcast on West
Germany radio, Vogel said he would
- do everything to fight for an elec- ~
.and Soviet side as low as possible"
to be done to keep the number of
medium-range missiles on the U.S.
attainable, everything will have
Genscher added: "A mutual renun-
ation of land-based medium-range
missiles remains the ideal negotia-
tign result for us. Should this be
country unless the Soviet Union
Chancellor Helmut Kohl has said
~he intends to ask voters fora man-
The SPD favors a compromise at
Geneva which would avoid deploy-
Approved For Release 2007/09/07 :CIA-RDP85M00363R000300450019-4