The Negotiations Game

Anyone who wanted to create a new parlor game of Negotiations could find a readymade situation in Vienna last week at the preparatory conference on Mutual and Balanced Force Reductions in central Europe. The players: the U.S. and six NATO partners on the one hand, the Soviet Union and four Warsaw Pact countries on the other, plus "observer" nations from both blocs. The goal for the U.S. is to win eventual agreement on balanced troop reduction--that is, proportionately more troops withdrawn from central Europe by the Soviets, who have larger forces there and a shorter distance to travel. Conversely, the Soviets win if they can stall negotiations until Congress impatiently orders a unilateral cut in the 310,000 American contingent in Europe.

The U.S. scored the first point by getting the preparatory talks under way, thus presumably easing congressional pressure for a unilateral cut. The Soviet Union made its countermove even before the talks began in Vienna. It demanded admission of Bulgaria and Rumania as full members rather than as observers, even though they have no troops deployed outside their borders and no Soviet soldiers on their own soil. The Russians also demanded that Hungary be downgraded to observer status, which would leave the four Soviet divisions stationed in that country outside the scope of any agreement.

The West rejected that proposal, but the Soviets countered by suggesting that Italy be invited to participate as a full member, rather than as an observer.

That would lead to the inclusion of Italian forces--and possibly the U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples--in any reduction scheme.

As the wrangling continued, the Soviets were slowly amassing points. They will probably win another two-week delay before the preparatory meeting gets around to discussing even a date, agenda and procedural principles for an eventual full-fledged conference.

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