Reagan, Gorbachev Take a Private Walk by the Lake : Blackout Imposed on Press

President Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev today convened the first superpower summit in six years but cut short the formal talks, instead opting for private discussions during a surprise walk along Lake Geneva and inside a lakeside pool house.

Both sides imposed a news blackout so tight that no word leaked out on the substance of either the private talks or two rounds of formal meetings, held in a 19th-Century mansion on the lake. In what was apparently a bid to draw compromises from Reagan, Gorbachev began the day by telling his summit partner, “We must achieve decisions together.”

A Soviet spokesman said a “good atmosphere” prevailed in the morning session, and an American spokesman said the feeling “continued through the afternoon.” Gorbachev was quoted by Swiss television as saying of Reagan: “I think we will have a good relationship.”

Only Interpreters Present

In an unexpected development, Reagan ended the afternoon working meeting 50 minutes early and suggested that Gorbachev accompany him on a walk. Donning coats on the chilly afternoon, they headed for the lake, joined only by interpreters.

After a five-minute stroll, the two leaders entered a lakeside pool house where logs were blazing in the fireplace. They continued their talks for another 44 minutes.

“The President, I think, felt at a certain point in the meeting that it was a desirable time for the two to continue their talks alone,” presidential spokesman Larry Speakes said.

It was Reagan’s second private meeting with Gorbachev. They also met alone in the morning for almost an hour, four times longer than had been scheduled, before the opening of the talks.

Unexpected Talks

Speakes described the private talks in the afternoon as “an unexpected development. The two are spending more time together.”

It was not explained how arrangements had been set up for the private meeting, and Speakes jokingly said the site was “probably one of those pool houses that has a 24-hour-a-day fire.”

At their morning meeting, Reagan and Gorbachev agreed that the summit outcome depends on mutual willingness to reconcile differences.

“We must achieve decisions together,” Gorbachev said as he sat down with Reagan in the front room of the villa. “If someone will insist only on his own (views) I am not convinced it will look like a decision. We are very much interdependent.”

‘I Agree’

When the remark was translated into English, Reagan said, “I agree.”

The afternoon agenda specified that the talks would focus on arms control. The presence of Paul Nitze, Reagan’s chief arms control adviser, in the formal afternoon session suggested that they stuck with the planned topic.

By mutual agreement, both sides imposed a news blackout on summit developments. Secretary of State George P. Shultz and other senior officials accompanying Reagan canceled news briefings and television appearances.

Reagan described the initial meeting as “very businesslike.”

“We talked about the things we are going to talk about,” the President said.

Differences Remain

Asked if they had settled anything, the President replied, “We left that to the table”--the eight hours of formal talks over two days.

Leonid M. Zamyatin, the chief Kremlin spokesman, told reporters there was a “good atmosphere” at the talks but that differences remained. Noting that the last summit was held in 1979, Zamyatin said, “Given that situation, is it possible to imagine even for a minute that in the course of just over an hour you could reach some kind of progress on solving issues of this sort?”

Zamyatin raised the possibility of an additional Reagan-Gorbachev meeting on Thursday, saying it was “very likely.”

It was unclear whether Zamyatin was referring to a third day of negotiations between the two leaders or to the possibility that Reagan and Gorbachev would appear jointly or separately on Thursday to make statements. The spokesman refused to elaborate.

Public Session Possible

Speakes said there was the possibility of a “public reporting session” on Thursday morning. The time could be taken up by the signing of any joint agreements, or the leaders could simply use the opportunity to end the blackout with their views of the first superpower summit in six years.

Shortly after greeting Gorbachev today, Reagan was asked if he would invite the Soviet leader to Washington for a summit in 1987, Reagan replied, “All those are things to be discussed.”

When a reporter asked Gorbachev about future meetings, he said, “Don’t be in a hurry. Don’t rush things and try to learn everything in advance.” Speakes said there was no agreement on future meetings.

The Soviet leader said he would “take up” with Reagan whether to summon U.S. and Soviet arms control negotiators back into session before their scheduled next round on Jan. 16. Later, Speakes said, “The United States is not planning to propose an early start of negotiations.”

The final event of the day was a dinner given at the Soviet mission by Gorbachev and his wife for the President and Mrs. Reagan.