Message to the Congress Transmitting the Annual Report of the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency

To the Congress of the United States:

In my letter of transmittal attached to the 1984 United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency Annual Report, I remarked that I viewed with great seriousness the negotiating commitments of January 1985 as an opportunity to reduce significantly the inventories of offensive nuclear weapons systems. Much has happened during the past twelve months to encourage me in that view. Not only have our arms control delegations continued their efforts to reach agreements with their Soviet counterparts, but I have had an opportunity to discuss with Soviet General Secretary Gorbachev many of the issues that divide our two countries. We agreed to expedite the negotiations on reducing the numbers of nuclear offensive weapons and to continue our discussions on the issue of strategic defense as well as on many other important bilateral issues. Furthermore, the Soviet leader and I agreed to future meetings, which might give further impetus to the arms control process.

This 1985 annual report, the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency's 25th consecutive report, provides an in-depth survey of all of the work undertaken during the year in support of negotiating agreements to reduce the number of nuclear weapons, to abolish chemical weapons, to reduce the numbers of U.S. and Soviet troops in Central Europe, to seek correction for Soviet noncompliance with existing arms control agreements, and to continue efforts to enhance peace and security and make possible the reduction of military spending worldwide.

RONALD REAGAN

The White House,

January 31, 1986.