WASHINGTON (AP) — The
United States and the Soviet
Union Thursday signed an
agreement in principle to limit
and possibly reduce their stock-
piles of offensive nuclear weap-
ons by the end of 1974.

President Nixon and Soviet
Communist leader Leonid I.
Brezhnev raised their cham-
pagne glasses in toasts to suc-
cess at the ceremony in the
White House East Room.

The agreement, the out-
standing acomplishment of
their week-long summit, was
forged by Nixon and Brezhnev
earlier at Camp David, the
presidential retreat in the
 mountains of Maryland. It is
designed to spur negotiators for
the two countries at the re-
cessed strategic arms limita-
tion talks (SALT) in Geneva.

For the first time, the two
nations committed themselves
in principle to actual reductions
of their nuclear weaponry as
well as to permanent limita-
tions. Also significantly, the
United States evidently is bow-
ing to Soviet objections to on-
site inspections.

One of the seven stated prin-
ciples provides that “national
technical means” be the svs-
tem of verifying whether Wash-
ington and Moscow were living
up to a missile limitation.

 
 
WASHINGTON (UPI) — President
Nixon and Soviet leader Leonid I.
Brezhnev pledged today to avoid military
confrontations and threats of force that
might lead to nuclear war between their
two nations.

In a policy declaration, the leaders of
the two nuclear superpowers agreed to
“immediately enter into urgent con-
sultations with each other” should the
risk of a nuclear conflict arise.

Nixon and Brezhnev signed the agree-
ment —the eighth since the start of their
summit talks —in a ceremony in the East
Room of the White House a few hours
before their scheduled departure aboard
 the presidential jetliner for San
Clemente, Calif., for the conclusion of
their week-long conference.

In the agreement, the two leaders
promised that the United States and the
Soviet Union “will act in such a manner
as to prevent the development of
situations capable of causing a dangerous
exacerbation of their relations, as to avoid
military confrontations, and to exclude
the outbreak of nuclear war between them
and between either of the parties and
other countries.”

The accord also calls for the signatories
to proceed from the premise that each will
refrain ‘from the threat or use of force
against the other party, against the allies
of the other party, and against other coun-
tries, in circumstances which may en-
danger international peace and security.”

In advance of the signing, Nixon briefed
congressional leaders of both parties on
the declaration, which is a statement of
policy —not a treaty — and therefore does
not require Senate ratification.

Presidential adviser Henry A. Kissinger
said the intent of the doctrine was “‘to pre-
vent the outbreak of nuclear war.”’

The decision of the two leaders to hold
a third summit conference in as many
years was announced at a lavish banquet
at the Soviet Embassy. In a jovial at-
mosphere, Nixon and Brezhnev dined and
toasted each other after signing pacts
earlier in the day to speed nuclear arms
negotiations and cooperate in research on
peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

Before they boarded the “Spirit of 76”
for a late afternoon flight to the Western
White House, Brezhnev arranged to meet
 with 40 American businessmen to sell
them on expanded trade with Russia.

Brezhnev will be a guest at Nixon’s
home in San Clemente, La Casa Pacifica,
from this evening until Sunday morning
when he flies back to Washington. He will
pre-tape a television address which will be
iroadcast to the American people Sunday
evening.

Brezhnev leaves the United States
Monday for Paris.

An agreement to accelerate the
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT)
in Geneva was the high point of the sum-
mit so far. Nixon and Brezhnev signed a
statement of seven principles that will
lead negotiators toward the goal of con-
cluding a permanent offensive nuclear
arms control agreement by the. end of
1974.
 