Nixon says Bush best at dealing with Soviets

WASHINGTON Former President Richard M. Nixon expresseddisagreement Friday with President Reagan and Vice President GeorgeBush on several issues, but said he thinks Bush is better qualifiedthan the Democratic presidential candidates to deal with Sovietleader Mikhail S. Gorbachev.

Nixon characterized Gorbachev as a "world-class leader" whocould be "the man of the century."

In an hourlong appearance before the American Society ofNewspaper Editors, Nixon indicated that a consumption tax, along withcuts in defense and social programs, will be needed to cope with thefederal deficit, which he called "a time bomb." Both Reagan and Bushoppose new taxes.

Nixon said, however: "None of the candidates, Republican orDemocrat, have addressed the deficit responsibly as yet.

"Now, I understand that," he then said to laughter. "I've been acandidate, and it's very difficult to be responsible when you're acandidate."

Nixon dismissed the line-item veto, which Reagan and Bushadvocate, as "a nice idea" that he said would not lead to significantparing of the deficit, as the administration has implied.

Administration proposals for 50 percent cuts in the superpowers'strategic nuclear arsenals would leave the Soviets with greaterability than they now have to initiate a first strike against theUnited States, Nixon said.

He called on Reagan to link any cuts in strategic arms to Sovietwillingness to give up its edge in conventional weapons in Europe.

Reagan, who has not insisted on such linkage, hopes to secure atreaty on strategic arms before leaving office.

The former president also said he disagrees with Reagan's effortto reinterpret the anti-ballistic missile treaty to permit testing inspace of "star wars" anti-missile defenses.

If the United States and Soviet Union cannot agree on testinglimits for the Strategic Defense Initiative, it would be better towithdraw from the ABM treaty than to change the traditionalinterpretation of what it means, Nixon said.

As a "world-class leader," Gorbachev must be pushed by a strongU.S. president into choosing economic "progress at home or aggressionabroad," Nixon said.

If the Soviet Union is not to fall farther behind the Westeconomically, Gorbachev must reduce his military outlays and gainaccess to Western credits and technology, Nixon said.

"Gorbachev needs a deal," he said. "We ought to make one. Butwe must make a deal which does not just serve his interests of makingthe Soviet economy more productive, but one that serves our interestin making Soviet foreign policy less aggressive.

"Because, otherwise, what we will see is that in the mid-1990s,we will have a militarily and economically stronger Soviet Union withthe same aggressive foreign policy. . . ."

If a tough president forces a choice and Gorbachev opts foreconomic growth over continued military expansion and adventuresabroad, "he could be the man of the century," Nixon said.

He predicted that Michael S. Dukakis will be the Democrats'presidential nominee but will lose the election in a squeaker toBush, and praised the Massachusetts governor as "very smart . . .very cool . . . very tough."

Nixon maintained, however, that Dukakis's proposals for defensecuts would leave him without bargaining leverage in his dealings withGorbachev.

He urged Dukakis to pick Sam Nunn of Georgia, Senate ArmedServices Committee chairman, as his running mate. Nunn, he said,could "educate" Dukakis, whose foreign policy ideas are "right out ofGeorge McGovern's playbook."