SECOND DISARMAMENT DECADE A realistic program — to end the arms race

‘The USSR, ina letter to United Nations secretary-general Kurt Waldheim, has advanced a new series of proposals for peace. On the occasion of the UN proclama- tion of the 1980s as the Second Disarmament Decade, and in face of new, dangerous threats to world peace, the USSR urges negotiations on a broad range of issues toward peace.

**The USSR,’ says the letter to Waldheim, ‘‘and other countries of the socialist community, put forward a realistic program of measures covering practically all aspects of the problem of ending the arms race and achieving dis- armament ... among others, the following measures are at issue:””

* * *

e The termination of the produc- tion of all types of nuclear weapons and a gradual reduction of stockpiles of those weapons up to their final elimination and, with these aims in mind, the opening without delay of relevant negotia- tions with the participation of all states possessing nuclear weapons, as well as a number of states which do not possess nuc- lear weapons — parallel with this, measures must be taken to strengthen the political guaran- tees and the guarantees under in- ternational law for the security of states;

e The further limitation and re- duction of the quantities of strategic arms, as well as their further limitation qualitatively,

8 AEN RE IEE

TRIBUNE PHOTO — EDYA WEIR

12-day vigil against war

Every day from April 28 to May 9, noon-hour crowds in downtown Toronto encounter these peace activists who are bringing their message to thousands in a build-up for a May 10 march from Queen’s Park to City Hall. Members of the May 10 Ad Hoc Commit- tee, incorporating about a dozen groups, are voicing a growing concern of:a new war resulting from an uncontrolled arms race.

with due regard for all the factors

which influence the strategic situ- ation in the world, including that in Europe;

e The conclusion of a treaty ona total ban on nuclear weapon tests;

e The conclusion of a treaty on the prohibition of radiological weapons;

e The adoption of further mea- sures to prevent proliferation of nuclear weapons and, with these

_ends in view, the securing of the

universal participation of states in the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons;

e The conclusion of a convention on strengthening security guaran- tees for non-nuclear states;

e The conclusion of an agree- ment on the non-deployment of nuclear weapons on the territories

of states where there are no such

weapons at present;

e The establishment of nuclear- free zones in various regions of the world;

e The limitation and subsequent reduction of military activity in the Indian Ocean and the estab- lishment of a peace zone in the area;

e The conclusion of a convention on the prohibition of chemical weapons;

e The conclusion of an all- embracing agreement on the pro- hibition of the development and production of new types of weapons of mass destruction and new systems of such weapons;

e The conclusion of a convention on the prohibition of the produc- tion, stockpiling, deployment and use of nuclear neutron weapons,

e The ending of the creation of new types of conventional arma- ments of great destructive force;

e The reaching of agreement on the renunciation of expansion of the armed forces and of an in- crease in conventional arma- ments by the powers which are permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, as well as by the countries which are bound to them by military agreements;

e The limitation of the sale and deliveries of conventional arma- ments;

e The working out of an interna-

tional agreement banning or limit- ing the use of conventional

weapons which cause excessive damage or are of non-selective ac tion; : e The accession of all states which have not yet done so to the existing agreements on limiting the arms race and on disarma- ment; ae

e A reduction in the military budgets of the states which are permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, as well as of other militarily important states, in absolute or percentage terms:

INTERNATIONAL NOTES Afghan-India ties hailed

President N. S. Reddy of India sent warm greetings to Afghanistan this week on the second anniversary of the April 27, 1978 Afghan revo- lution. Reddy’s message was sent to Presi- dent Babrak Karmal of Afghanistan and said: “On behalf of the government and the people of

India, and also on my own behalf, I want toconvey

to you and the people of Afghanistan the best of wishes on the occasion of the second anniversary of the April revolution. I am confident that the traditional friendly relations between India and

Afghanistan will go on strengthening.”

Nepal recognizes PLO

Nepal officially recognized the Palestine Lib- eration Organization (PLO) on Tuesday. Nepal previously maintained close ties, including mili- tary ties, withIsrael. :

S. Yemen message to USSR

Strengthened friendship between the USSR and the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen) was backed by PDRY President Ali Nasser Muhammed on Tuesday.

The recently-elected-PDRY President was re- sponding to a message of congratulations sent to him by President Leonid Brezhnev of the USSR. Muhammed said in-his reply cable that Soviet-

South Yemeni relations ‘‘will daily grow stronger.”

Pakistan unrest mounts

Mass unrest was reported growing throughout Pakistan on Wednesday as opponents of the re- gime seemed to be increasingly more bold in their criticisms of it. Begum Nusrat Bhutto, widow of executed Premier Ali Bhutto, predicted that the dictatorship of Gen. (President) Zia ul-Haq would, be overthrown soon. The Iranian-born Mrs. Bhutto and her daughter Benazir were released from house arrest two weeks ago because of mass public pressure.

Fourth cabinet member quits

Salvadoran Treasury Minister Roberto Aiver- gue Vides resigned from his post Tuesday, be- coming the fourth cabinet member to quit the government in the last six weeks.

Vides’ resignation as treasury minister fol- lowed the departures last month of the deputy minister of agriculture and the ministers of edu- cation and economics who resigned in protest against government repression.

The three fled the country immediately before resigning, saying they feared for their lives.

Members of the popular organizations seized four radio stations and broadcast appeals for a massive turnout at a march today (Thursday).

Meanwhile, the rightwing paramilitary

groups continue their violence against the peas-

ants. The decapitated and torture-marked bodies of a manand a woman were found near the town of Tecoluca, 66 miles east of San Salvador. In another ghoulish incident, three gunmen burst into a hospital operating room in the town of Usulutan, 67 miles east of the capital, and fired three bullets into the head of a youth undergoing surgery for a bullet wound.

African independence

Nigerian President Shehu Shagari told the opening session of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) meeting Monday that for Africa political independence will remain a dead letter unless genuine economic independence is at- tained.

The developing nations do not intend to live in misery, Shagari said. That is why the current assembly marks a first real step toward a radical reappraisal of the existing international eco- nomic relations, he said.

UN General Secretary Kurt Waldheim indi-

cated that the forum is called upon to become an --

important milestone in the socio-economic devel- opment and consolidation of African indepen- dence.

Before the meeting, the delegates warmly welcomed Robert Mugabe, prime minister of Zimbabwe. The newly independent country has offieialtysbecome the-50th member of the OAU.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—MAY 16, 1980—Page 6