Arms Talks Start With Air of Hope : Soviet Negotiators Using Instructions OKd by Gorbachev

The United States and the Soviet Union made a fresh start today on nuclear weapons control, with Soviet negotiators operating from instructions approved by their new leader, Mikhail S. Gorbachev.

Signaling conciliation, Victor P. Karpov, head of the Soviet delegation, said that, if both sides want an accord, “you can do that on the kitchen floor, here or somewhere else.”

Karpov told reporters that Gorbachev presided over the meeting of the Politburo that approved his instructions last Thursday.

The Soviet negotiator said there is no need to return home after Chernenko’s funeral Wednesday because there will be “no change” in the instructions on space and nuclear arms.

Speaking in English, Karpov declined to say whether the instructions drafted last week anticipated the death of President Konstantin U. Chernenko, who succumbed Sunday. “That’s quite enough,” he said.

Sign Condolence Book

The opening session, which lasted 2 hours and 40 minutes, was held up 12 minutes while the three U.S. negotiators signed a book of condolences to mark Chernenko’s death.

Today’s session at the Soviet mission marked the resumption of superpower arms talks after a 15-month lapse.

Afterward, Max M. Kampelman, who heads the U.S. delegation, said, “The two sides had a serious and businesslike discussion.” He said he could not answer reporters’ questions because he and Karpov agreed to keep their discussions confidential.

Except for an interpreter, Karpov was alone with the U.S. negotiators. This underscored the Soviet view that offensive and defensive weapons are tightly linked and that failure to agree on one issue--President Reagan’s controversial “Star Wars” plan, for instance--could block an agreement on others.

Greeting the American warmly before the session began, Karpov said, “I hope that our meeting will not be the last one, but one of the first in a series, that we will negotiate, and reach an agreement.”

‘Good Omen’ Hoped

Kampelman, with a broad smile, said: “Our objective is to reach an agreement too. I hope this is a good omen.”

At Soviet insistence, Reagan’s program to develop space-based missile defenses was added to the agenda in January, along with Soviet defense systems.

When real bargaining begins, probably Thursday at the U.S. mission, the Soviets are expected to launch a drive to stop Reagan’s “Star Wars” plan. The $26-billion program is aimed at devising a leakproof, space-based shield against Soviet missiles. The Soviets claim that it would lead to the militarization of outer space.

Reagan and his top advisers have ruled out any bargaining over the controversial American program, which they say is only in the research stage and deals strictly with defense.

But Karpov said, “If there is a real interest in negotiating a ban on space arms, it can be done.” He repeated for emphasis: “It can be done. And the more we do now to prevent the arms race in space the better it is.”