WASHINGTON -- President Reagan said Thursday the Soviet Union will lie, cheat and commit criminal acts in the pursuit of world revolution, but that he would not rule out U.S.-Soviet 'discussions' leading to nuclear arms reductions.
Reagan told his news conference, 'Detente so far has been a one-way street that the Soviet Union has used to pursue its own aims.' He said the only morality the Soviets recognize is 'the right to commit any crime, to lie, to cheat,' and that the United States must weigh this in setting relations with the Kremlin.
Reagan said the Soviet Union's practice of honoring detente when it benefits, but then promoting world revolution, must also be taken into account by the United States in discussing arms control pacts with the Soviets.
Asked how long the United States should abide by terms of the unratified Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty and what he considers its greatest inequities, Reagan first replied that the term 'strategic arms limitation' was being misused.
Repeating his campaign theme of opposition to Salt II, Reagan said that instead of limiting nuclear arms, it 'permits a continued buildup by both sides of strategic nuclear weapons.'
Reagan said the treaty, the terms of which both sides have indicated they will observe for the time being, permits a large buildup of Soviet warheads, but does not provide for verification of how many are on each Soviet missile. Therefore, he said, it should not be called an arms limitation agreement.
But Reagan said he is willing to permit 'discussions leading to negotiations' on the subject and, 'We should start negotiating on the basis of trying to effect an actual reduction in the numbers of nuclear weapons.
'That would then be real strategic arms limitation.'
Repeating his campaign phrase, Reagan declared, 'I believe in linkage.'
Reagan, who opposed the Soviet grain embargo during the campaign, also told reporters that issue will be taken up during next week's Cabinet meeting.
Reagan's tough language followed blunt accusations by Secretary of State Alexander Haig Wednesday that the Soviets are supporting international terrorism.
State Department spokesman William J. Dyess Thursday amplified Haig's statement, saying the Soviets were encouraging international terrorism and combatting its spread would be the foreign policy priority of the Reagan administration.
Dyess, providing specifics, accused the Soviets of:
--Providing financial support, training and arms to such groups at the Palestine Liberation Organization.
--The use of such surrogates as Cuba and Libya as conduits of assistance to groups that practice terrorism.
--Propaganda and material support for national liberation movements which use terrorism.
--Propaganda in broadcasts, such as those to Iran during the hostage crisis, which tried to justify the taking of hostages. In Iran this could only be seen as an effort to complicate gaining the Americans' release.
--Advocacy of armed struggle as the solution to conflicts in El Salvador and Namibia.
