The World - News from July 15, 1987

The Soviet Union said a long-awaited Western proposal on disarmament at the European security conference in Vienna had major failings but added that it did form a basis for negotiation. Soviet Ambassador Yuri B. Kashlev said the proposal presented last week “could result in simply freezing force levels in Europe,” which he called unacceptable. He also said the proposal excludes tactical nuclear weapons, which the East Bloc states want included. The follow-up meeting of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, which began last November, is expected to end late this year.