News In Brief

US rules out first arms use but reserves nuclear option

The White House said Tuesday the United States would not be the first country to use nuclear or conventional weapons, but it reserved the right to meet any attack with nuclear arms. Spokesman Larry Speakes, repeating long-held US policy , turned down a suggestion by Soviet President Konstantin Chernenko that an early summit with President Reagan could be held if Washington accepted a Kremlin plan for a treaty banning the first use of nuclear weapons.

(See related story Page 1.)