After 26 Years, U.S., Sweden Renew Dialogue

WASHINGTON â€”  President Reagan and Swedish Prime Minister Ingvar Carlsson met today to signal the resumption of a dialogue between their two nations after a 26-year hiatus and “agreed to disagreeâ€� on Central America and “Star Wars.â€�

A senior Administration official said that during their 50-minute meeting following a warm welcoming ceremony in the East Room, the two leaders achieved their “objective of getting the dialogue going.�

The official said their meeting “marks the resumption of a dialogue at the highest level of government.�

Carlsson, the official said, asked Reagan to explain his views on Nicaragua and the Strategic Defense Initiative, known as “Star Wars.� The official said there was no meeting of minds on the issues and quoted Carlsson as saying: “Let’s record that we agreed to disagree.�

In his welcoming remarks Reagan told Carlsson his visit “now renews our political, bilateral discussions at the highest level. The dialogue between our two governments has improved and deepened in the last few years and we’re determined to assure that it continues.�

Carlsson noted that Sweden and the United States play different roles on the world stage, adding, “We believe that we have a right to participate actively in world affairs. Global war will affect all the people on earth.�

Carlsson said he wanted to convey “a special message from the people of Sweden� as the United States and Soviet Union are on the verge of concluding an arms agreement, adding that the potential accord to reduce medium-range missiles “has our full backing.�

Relations with Sweden were at their lowest during the Vietnam War, when a Swedish prime minister equated the U.S. military in Vietnam to Nazi armies in World War II.