January 31, 1985
Today in Vienna, members of NATO and the Warsaw Pact will resume their efforts to negotiate
reductions of conventional forces in central Europe. These talks on mutual and balanced force
reductions (MBFR) are an integral and important part of our commitment to achieve genuine
progress in arms reductions -- conventional, chemical, and nuclear.
It is clear that a militarily significant, verifiable MBFR agreement is possible. Last April, the
NATO participants tabled a major initiative designed to break the East-West deadlock. We remain
hopeful of a constructive reply from the Warsaw Pact participants.
Last month, the NATO alliance in its ministerial communique expressed the continuing Western
commitment to do everything possible to achieve a verifiable agreement reducing conventional
forces to parity at lower levels. Such an agreement would enhance confidence, improve military
stability, and reduce the risk of war in Europe. On its return to Vienna, the United States
delegation will continue to do its part to achieve such an agreement.