President Ronald Reagan says his only purpose is to avert nuclear war

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President Reagan has unveiled plans to combat nuclear war in space.

The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) proposes a defensive shield, using laser or particle beam technology to "intercept and destroy" incoming missiles as they travel through the stars.

< Defense analysts have described it as the first major attempt to move away from the 30 year-old Cold War strategy of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) - where the threat of nuclear attack acts as adeterrent.

In a televised address from the White House the US leader said: "We seek neither military superiority nor political advantage. Our only purpose - one all people share - is to search for ways to avert the danger of nuclear war."

Speaking just half an hour after the House of Representatives (H0R) had rejected the Republican Party's demands for 10% increases in defence spending, President Reagan attempted to justify his $2 trillion, five-year military spending plans.

In the first major congressional revolt against Mr Reagan's economic policies the HoR have voted in Democrat proposals to reduce the Republican budget by more than half.

The President said: "They're the same kind that led the democracies to neglect their defences in the 1930s and invited the tragedy of World War II."

Senior White House aide Michael Deaver reported a positive reaction to Mr Reagan's scheme: "He has had the most favorable response to any speech since he was elected President."

Critics argue SDI contravenes the Soviet-American Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty of 1972.

Article V of the treaty states: "Each party undertakes not to develop, test or deploy anti-ballistic missile systems or components."

President Reagan has stressed SDI does not entail the actual development of a defensive shield, but is a programme for research and development.

Mr Major said the charter would help improve public services

John Major, addressing the Conservative Central Council in Southport, outlined plans for a "citizen's charter" to maintain standards and improve ''every part of the public services''.

''People who depend on public services - patients, passengers, parents, pupils, benefit claimants - all must know where they stand and what service they have a right to expect,'' he said.

Lambasted by critics

He pledged the government would promote and extend competition and privatisation to improve public services as well as create new watchdogs for consumer protection, transport safety and pollution.

The "citizen's charter" has beenlambastedby critics as being a clone of policies muted by Labour and the Liberal Democrats to improve public services.

It is one of Mr Major's 'five great principles' for the country which include devolving power to people through, for example, privatisation of British Coal, British Rail, and the remainder of British Telecom.

A stable and strong economy including greater property ownership and a wider distribution of wealth was also on Mr Major's blueprint for Britain along with a pledge to fight for the country's interests from within Europe.

The fifth principle, however, described Conservatives as the unionist party, "drawing together in partnership the rich traditions of four great nations".

The Prime Minister's speech, trailed as his most important domestic statement since succeeding Mrs Thatcher last November, has aroused Opposition criticism branding it vacuous and without purpose.

But it was an important speech for the new prime minister who is forced to appeal to Thatcherite supporters but also carve a new philosophy for himself and the party.

His outline of a party manifesto, and relentless criticism of Opposition parties, has led many political observers to predict the prime minister could be planning to call a General Election within months.

deterrent: something that deters（威慑）

lambaste: To scold sharply; berate（严责，训斥）