Top-level NATO meeting may reaffirm missile plan

The Geneva talks on nuclear disarmament in Europe and the burgeoning European peace movement form a backdrop to this week's meeting of NATO defense and foreign ministers.

Diplomatic sources say the ministers, meeting in Brussels, will reaffirm the NATO commitment to the deployment in Europe of 108 Pershing II ballistic missiles and 464 ground-launched cruise missiles as a bargaining counter in the disarmament talks.

The deployment is slated to begin in late 1983 unless the Soviet Union agrees to President Reagan's proposal to dismantle its intermediate-range missiles aimed at Europe.