◆ SpookStack

Ap the he Joint Chiefs of Staff have made it clear to President Reagan that ifa treaty on medi- um-range missiles in Europe is politically necessary, they can live with it—but not happily. The Soviet proposal to elimi- nate missiles with ranges of 500 to 5,000 kilometers, say the chiefs, would "stress" NATO defenses, And even their grudg- ing endorsement of the deal is contingent on modernization of NATO's remaining nuclear forces. They are drawing up a list of requirements, topped by an air-launched cruise missile enabling NATO jets to strike deep inside Eastern Europe and a land-based nuclear missile with a range. as one source puts it, “of 499 kilometers if500isthe cutoff” underazero-zero plan. The chiefs were influenced by a recent study by the staff of retiring NATO command. er Gen. Bernard Rogers. The document is a follow-up to an | ATwilight Zone Defense? J id Senate Foreign Relations | ee Committee chairman Clai- borne Pell enlist psychic spoon- bender Uri Geller to read the mind of a Soviet arms negotia- tor ata dinner in Geneva—and to beam messages of peace into the communist's unconscious? Is Pell trving to sell Geller to the Pentagon for a Psychic De- fense Initiative? No; the sena: | . lorinsists. But Geller is happily claiming some credit for the move toward an arms deal. ‘Geller insists he did beam thoughts of peace at Yuli Vor- ontsov. head of the Soviet arms- talk delegation. The very next day Mikhail Gorbachev made his offer to eliminate medium- range missiles from Europe. “I have a very strong feeling that Vorontsov called Gorbachev,” says Geller, who sensed a trans- fer of psychic power between himself and Vorontsov. “When I gave him the spoon, it kept bending in Ais hand.” Pell says he finds Geller Wary Warlords earlier study that concluded that NATO should give up shorter-range missiles (under 1,500 kilometers}, which don't threaten Soviet territory, in fa- vor of longer-range intermedi- ate systems with greater deter- rent value. With both categories slated for oblivion under Mikhail Gor- bachev’s proposal, says the new study, deep-strike NATO air- craft could probably fill the gap, though more would be need- ed—armed with new cruise missiles. The deal makesiteven more urgent that the Soviets ~eut conventional forces tosome- thing approaching equality with NATO and agree to ban chemical and biolegical weap-- ons, thestudy concludes. « Vitaly Churkin, 35, blow- dried first secretary at the Sovi- et Embassy in Washington, will berewarded for five years of vig- orously defending Moscow’sdis- armament strategies—and for his mastery of U.S. TV after the Chernobyl nuclear accident. Headed home last week, Chur- kin told associates he was mov- ing to the Central Committee's international department, led by ex-ambassador tothe United “States Anately Dobrynin, now Gorbachev’s chief adviser on American affairs. Churkin’s new assignment could bring him quickly into the loftiest Kremlin circles. “He's going to the top,” said one U.S. diplomat who has worked with Churkin. DON NEWS SERVICE Psychic initiative: Pell (eft), Vorontsov, Kampelman and Geller “really a very interesting man ... [ felt myself stimulated by his ideas.” But Pell says he sim- ply proposed Geller's parlor feats as entertainment for the reception and dinner in Geneva hosted by U.S. negotiator Max Kampelman for Soviet officials and visiting U.S. senators. A briefing that he arranged for Geller to give on Capitol Hill— in a special bugproof room— “had nothing to do with the peace talks. Nothing at all,” says Pell. “TE just wanted to ex- K Approved For Release 2001/04/02 pose him to some people here.” Geller, in America to pro- mote a new hook, discussed So- viet psychic research at the neeting, says a Pell staffer— and twice failed to divine mes- sages on pocketed scraps of pa- per. Most of the spectators were Hill and Pentagon aides. But Ahic of two congressmen to show up did come away impressed. House Foreign Affairs Commit- tee chairman Dante Fascell, . says his press secretary, rushed out to get a book about Geller. Whe ate [Ae : CRMRDP96-00789R00 Tales From the Campaign Trail he still unannounced presi- dential campaign of Sen. Jo- seph Biden startled some strat- egists with the choice of Bill Daley—a son of Chicago's leg- endary Mayor Richard Daley— as politicd! director. “What does he know about the country outside of Chicago?” sniffed one rival pol. But March’s Illinois primary could be crucial for Bi- den; Daley “can earn his pay if he can deliver Chicago,” says one party insider. Meanwhile, Biden insiders foresee greater influence by Pat Caddell, the guru-pollster who helped win the White House for Jimmy Carter. Caddell pal Tom Doni- lon—ex-Carter and Mondale operative—is expected to take a top campaign position. His brother, Mike Donilon, is likely to do campaign polling. = Democrats in the Middle Atlantic states now plana high- profile, regional primary to fol- low the Southern Mega-Tues- day-on March 8, 1988. New York and Pennsylvania party leaders chose April 12 and hope Democrats in New Jersey and Connecticut will go along. Gall for Action ongress wants faster Justice Department action on alle- gations that Education Depart- ment officials falsified docu- ments and backdated letters in a rush to comply with school desegregation orders. The Edu- - cation Department inspector general found serious miscon- duct in the department's civil- rights office in Boston Jast sum- mer; an internal in¥estigation showed similar practices in six other regional offices. Top de- partment officials insist the problem is solved, but a whistle- blower in San Francisco recent- ly claimed otherwise. And Con- gress reportedly has evidence that Education Department staffers in several regions are pressing complainants to drop discrimination charges. Davin Gates with bureau reparts NEWSWEEK: MAY 11,1987 5 1001420001-3 ‘