Pages 126-132 from FCO 82-1724

This is a confidential message discussing the US-Soviet Reykjavik meeting on arms control. The message emphasizes that the meeting was just one step in the long process of building a stable East-West relationship and reaching an arms control agreement. The US and its allies are determined to maintain momentum and reject Soviet attempts to link agreements to the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). The message highlights the British commitment to reducing the nuclear threat while ensuring conventional and chemical defense capabilities. It welcomes the phased approach to nuclear testing constraints and emphasizes the importance of regional issues and human rights in East-West relations. The message also provides background information on the discussions at Reykjavik, including reductions in strategic weapons, limitations on intermediate-range nuclear forces, and the issue of SDI. It mentions potential agreement on regional issues and humanitarian concerns, as well as the US and Soviet experts' meetings on maritime transport and civil space projects.