Negotiations

Edward C. Perry’s letter (Dec. 1) regarding the negotiations at Reykjavik very ably expressed similar thoughts to my own.

I am grateful to him for printing out the existence of the John J. McCloy-Valerian J. Zorin Agreement of 1961. It is good to know that our two countries at one time agreed to a set of disarmament objectives.

Perry is right. The answer to fears of Soviet conventional armed strength in the event of nuclear disarmament is not to pull back from nuclear disarmament, but rather, to extend disarmament talks to cover conventional arms as well as nuclear.

The base upon which to build at this time is Reykjavik plus McCloy-Zorin. Otherwise, our inability to break out of old confrontational habit patterns into the new solutions that are required will tear our societies to pieces, an effect that is already amply evident.

FAITH OLSON

Pasadena