News stories from Saturday April 17, 1982

Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:

The administration's nuclear policy was discussed by President Reagan in his third radio speech. He said that "nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought," but that peace depends on pubic support for a continuing American military buildup. He associated himself with the goals of groups seeking a nuclear freeze, but said that instituting a freeze now only "perpetuates current disparities" to the disfavor of the United States. He seemed to direct his address at the growing moves toward arms control in the United States. [New York Times] A nationwide anti-nuclear drive is to get underway Sunday. Its organizers hope that the week of activities brings about a searching re-examination of the causes of the arms race and ways of halting it. It is estimated that 10 million Americans in 750 cities and towns, 450 campsues and 1,000 high schools will participate in locally organized seminars, teach-ins and debates on nuclear warfare and its consequences. Ground Zero, a nonpartisan educational organization, is coordinating the events. [New York Times] Buenos Aires was gloomy over the prospects for averting hostilities with Britain over the Falkland Islands as Secretary of State Alexander Haig and Argentine officials met to discuss the crisis. Senior Argentine officials and foreign diplomats doubted that a ground for compromise would be found. Argentina was adamant in its refusal to settle for anything less than full sovereignty over the Falklands. Mr. Haig "still doesn't believe that we are willing to go to war over the principle," an Argentine official said. [New York Times] A country weekend was cut short by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who returned to London when it seemed that Secretary of State Alexander Haig Jr.'s attempt in Buenos Aires to mediate the Falklands crisis was foundering. Mrs. Thatcher's return to London was not linked to any new development, an official spokesman said, but other sources said she felt a major turning point was approaching. [New York Times] Leonid Brezhnev rejected President Reagan's suggestion that they meet during a United Nations disarmament conference in New York in June, according to the Soviet press agency Tass. He proposed instead that they hold a full-fledged summit meeting in either Finland or Switzerland in October. [New York Times] Queen Elizabeth Il presided over the formal transfer of constitutional power from Britain to Canada in ceremonies in Ottawa that Quebec officials shunned. With the addition of a bill of rights, the 115-year-old Constitution Act, under which the Canadian federation was established, becomes a purely Canadian document. Effective tomorrow, Canada will have the sole power to amend it. [New York Times]