WASHINGTON -- President Reagan says the SALT 2 nuclear arms treaty is dead and has indicated that any restraints put on the U.S. weapons buildup will depend on Soviet actions.
Reporters asked Reagan pointed questions Thursday about his stance on SALT 2, after a series of ambiguous statements from administration officials and Reagan's own remarks at his Wednesday night news conference confused the issue.
Reagan may be asked to explain his reasons for scrapping the unratified 1979 treaty when he hosts a luncheon for regional reporters today.
Thursday he endorsed remarks by chief White House spokesman Larry Speakes, who said the agreement is finished as a foundation for arms control.
'The SALT treaty limits no longer exist,' Speakes announced. 'If we take future actions in the area of arms control, it would be for reasons other than the SALT agreement.'
Reagan later told reporters, 'I think you can trust what Larry Speakes told you.'
However, Reagan hedged when asked whether the United States would surpass the SALT 2 limits later this year.
'Anyone going into negotiations, I think, has a right to remain silent, so that nothing could be used against him,' he said. 'We're trying to replace it with a better deal.'
In the past several weeks, he has claimed a pattern of Soviet violations forced him to declare the treaty finished as a foundation for arms control.
The pact was signed in Vienna by President Jimmy Carter and the late Soviet leader, Leonid Brezhnev.
Speakes said that, regardless of U.S. actions later this year - when Reagan can act to exceed SALT 2 limits, actual compliance is no longer a concern.
'The United States is indicating that we will no longer be bound by the numerical limits of it,' he said. 'We have not violated it yet. We may not go over it in the fall.'
Speakes said his statement was intended to dispel 'confusion.'
Following Reagan's news conference, administration officials were concerned Thursday that the president seemed to soften his stand and to be leaving room for maneuvering.
Another White House spokesman, Edward Djerejian, told reporters that although SALT 2 is finished, 'restraint is not dead, and we hope that mutual restraint is not dead. That will depend on what Soviet actions are.'
The renewed declarations that SALT 2 is dead came as the administration expressed interest in a pair of new Soviet arms limitation proposals and hinted the overtures might have been prompted by the tough line Reagan took in his May 27 announcement.
'We do find it very interesting that at least the Soviets are coming forward with a number of arms proposals in a number of arms control (areas) ... in view of the president's recent announcements,' Speakes said.
In a related development on Capitol Hill, the House Foreign Affairs Committee approved, 29-11, a non-binding resolution urging Reagan to continue compliance with SALT 2 as long as the Soviets do so. The resolution is expected to go to the House floor next week.
Despite the rhetoric, Speakes said Reagan may not exceed the treaty's limitations when the arming of the 131st B-52 bomber with cruise missiles late this year pushes the United States past the SALT 2 ceiling of 1,320 multiple-warhead missile launchers and missile-equipped bombers.
Veteran arms negotiator Paul Nitze, an adviser to Reagan, indicated Wednesday the Pentagon may pull a Poseidon submarine out of service around that time, which would keep the United States within SALT 2 limits.
