LOPATIN SPEECH EXCERPT

During Soviet Maj. Vladimir Lopatin's visit to Washington last month, he spoke to the National Press Club at a breakfast meeting and answered questions. An excerpt: Question: What is your position on the creation of an all-volunteer Soviet Army?

Lopatin: Using mankind's experience on the armies issue, the volunteer professional army is the best possible model or pattern of an army. And yesterday, in my meeting with [United States] Defense Secretary Cheney and other experts from the Pentagon, this point of view was confirmed by Cheney and other experts. And our - well, our firm belief that [that] is true became more firm, became stronger. ... Fifty-seven nations in the world all built their armies upon this basis. I believe this is the most convincing argument that we are on the right track.