Good for Everyone

When Iran's revolutionary government closed down the U.S. missile monitoring stations in that country last February, American opponents of SALT II were fearful that verification of Soviet compliance with the pact had become difficult, if not downright impossible. The Norwegian military establishment has now offered to bridge the monitoring gap. Though nobody had asked Oslo, a Norwegian Defense Ministry spokesman declared that as a NATO ally, his country would be prepared to provide the U.S. with new listening posts and even with U-2 flights over the Soviet Union. The Norwegian military's proposal had been prompted by speculative news stories in the U.S. that suggested that Oslo's help would be welcome. Indeed, Norway already has a dozen or so listening posts that are equipped with the latest in U.S. intelligence-gathering technology.

The Norwegian military's offer predictably angered the Soviets and, less predictably, annoyed its own civilian leaders. Norwegian Prime Minister Odvar Nordli stressed that the U.S. had made no formal request for listening stations or spy plane flights; he also pointed out that SALT II seems to call for inspection only by the U.S. and U.S.S.R. If the two signatories to the treaty should ask a third party to verify compliance with restrictions on missile modernization, then, said Nordli, "Norway ought to be willing." Foreign Minister Knut Frydenlund was also critical of the position taken by the Defense Ministry, which has traditionally been more hawkish than the rest of the government. Said a ranking Oslo diplomat: "The military should be more sophisticated."

Still, the Norwegian military establishment maintained that its proposal was a good test of Moscow's willingness to permit effective verification of SALT II. "Sometimes the Soviets can't see what's plainly in their own best interest," insisted an Oslo Defense Ministry spokesman. "Inspection is good for everyone."

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