
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, May 3, 1990                   TAG: 9005030690
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A1   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

U.S. REVISES EUROPEAN STRATEGY

President Bush declared today that the western alliance must now set a strategy for "the transformation of Europe," and announced that the United States was canceling plans to modernize its battlefield nuclear weapons in Europe and to deploy a more-powerful Lance missile.

With NATO foreign ministers wrapping up their meeting in Brussels, Bush said a NATO summit would convene in late June or early July.

Bush said he wanted to meet with U.S. allies after his May 30-June 3 superpower summit with Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. He was asked about the jeering directed toward Gorbachev during the May Day parade in Red Square, and said such vocal opposition comes with democracy.

He was asked about a report out of Europe about a possible military coup, which did not occur. Bush said he'd seen no intelligence about such a threat to Gorbachev, but he added, "I do from time to time worry about a takeover that will set back the whole process" of change.

Bush characterized as "very, very positive" a statement on Wednesday by Lithuanian President Vytautas Landsbergis in response to a call from the leaders of Franch and West Germany urging restraint from the rebellious Baltic republic.

Earlier, in an opening statement, Bush signaled his hopes for the new era in Europe.

"As democracy comes to Eastern Europe and Soviet troops return home, there is less need for nuclear systems of a shorter range," Bush said in announcing the dramatic military changes.

Although Britain has sought a U.S. modernization of 700 aging Lance missiles in Europe, Bush's decision not to upgrade them goes along with the views of most NATO members. The decision not to modernize nuclear-tipped artillery will be particularily popular in West Germany, where most are deployed.

Bush did not announce the pullback of any current missile deployments.

On the summit of the 16-nation North Atlantic Treaty Alliance, Bush said he had issued the call "after consulting personally with my NATO colleagues."

Bush said the session, "in late June or early July," would be designed "to launch a long-range strategy review." He said, "The alliance is now ready to take on new challenges" and should now address "first, the political mission of the alliance, reaffirming its crucial role in managing and stabilizing the transformation of Europe."

Bush was to meet later in the day with Lithuanian Prime Minister Kazimiera Prunskiene. He embraced the statement from Landsbergis that seemed to lessen chances of a confrontation between Lithuanian leaders and Moscow.

"Whatever facilitates dialogue is good," Bush said.

by CNB