News In Brief

Western arms experts see real Soviet 'give' on arms

The Soviet Union, in its first major arms control statement under the new leadership of Konstantin Chernenko, made what Western experts described as a significant concession Tuesday in negotiations to ban chemical weapons.

Viktor Issraelyan, Moscow's chief negotiator at the 40-nation Geneva Disarmament Conference, announced that the Soviet Union would agree to the principle of permanent on-site verification of chemical weapons destruction by international inspectors.

The Soviet Union had previously ruled out proposals from the West that destruction of chemical weapons stockpiles be monitored permanently by inspectors.