Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 5, 1990 TAG: 9004060903
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
"I'm looking forward to meeting with him," Bush told reporters a few hours after the formal announcement was made. "It is very important that we have these conversations."
The simultaneous summit announcements came from the White House and the Soviet news agency Tass as Secretary of State James Baker and Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze were holding their second day of meetings, expected to focus on arms-control issues.
Bush said the conversations between Baker and the Soviet diplomat are "going reasonably well." The president is scheduled to meet with Shevardnadze at the White House on Friday.
There had been speculation that the crisis in the House calls for support of Lithuania. A7 Soviet republic of Lithuania might force a postponement of the summit, as Gorbachev worked to deal with internal pressures.
Lithuania aside, Bush and Gorbachev have planned the summit to discuss three major arms-control agreements dealing with long-range nuclear missiles, chemical arms and troops and weapons in Europe. The summit is also expected to include talks on such political issues as the reunification of Germany.
The two leaders hope to sign a treaty limiting long-range nuclear missiles deployed on land, in submarines and aboard bombers, but several knotty issues must be settled first, and scheduling the summit weeks earlier than initially anticipated could pose a problem.
Also in the arms-control field, Bush and Gorbachev may initial an agreement for a phased reduction of American and Soviet chemical weapons. But an international ban depends on agreement among more than a score of nations negotiating terms in Geneva.
They could set final terms for reducing U.S. and Soviet troops, tanks and other conventional forces in Europe, but a treaty would be finalized at a 35-nation summit meeting later in the year, provided there is no hangup in negotiations.
On the issue of German reunification, the Soviets are concerned that merger of their ally, East Germany, with the NATO linchpin, West Germany, would give the Western alliance a considerable advantage over the Warsaw Pact.
Bush and the allies are considering concessions, such as keeping NATO troops out of what is now East Germany.
On regional fronts, the two sides are backing opposing forces in wars in Angola and Afghanistan and could be ready to strike compromise deals.
Summits generally are an occasion for superpower accords on such issues as cultural and business exchanges, and this one may be as well. Gorbachev also is seeking access to Western credit and improved trade relations, and the subject of trade is certain to come up.
Bush and Gorbachev last met in early December on the island of Malta in the Mediterranean.
The announcement was made at the White House a few moments before Shevardnadze arrived at the State Department for his second day of talks with Baker.
Baker said in advance that the day's sessions would deal with the arms treaty under negotiation to limit nuclear-tipped cruise missiles. But Lithuania casts an imposing shadow over the meeting.
Gorbachev's views on Lithuania are contained in a letter Shevardnadze brought for Bush. Baker declined to provide any details, although he said "there is no disagreement" on the importance of Lithuania, which declared its independence from Moscow.
Saying he is encouraged that the Kremlin is showing interest in a referendum for Lithuania, Baker still served notice that whatever happens will have important consequences for the U.S.-Soviet relationship.
"This is a very, very important matter," Baker told reporters after his first round with Shevardnadze on Wednesday. It ran 3 1/2 hours and touched on missiles as well as Lithuania.
On arms-control matters, the United States wants to set a ceiling only on air-launched cruise missiles with a range of more than 1,000 kilometers or about 625 miles. That would permit unlimited deployment of a new U.S. missile, the Tacit Rainbow, with a shorter range.
The Soviets have proposed restricting air-launched cruises with a range over 600 kilometers, about 375 miles.
The two sides decided tentatively last September to exclude the tough issue of sea-launched missiles from the treaty and deal with it in a separate statement. But a disagreement remains on whether all such weapons should be included whatever their range.
by CNB