Reagan Ready to Head for Tokyo; Shultz Shows Irritation on Asian Policy Issues

President Reagan’s Southeast Asia journey, jarred by continuing economic and political differences with the region’s nonaligned nations, moves today to Tokyo, where discussions of terrorism and the Soviet Union’s nuclear disaster are likely to dominate the agenda of the 12th annual economic summit.

News of the nuclear disaster and the Administration’s attempts to respond to it without adequate information from the Kremlin overshadowed Reagan’s three-day visit here. And the Administration is concerned that it will also overshadow the Tokyo meeting of the leaders of the world’s seven major industrial democracies.

On the eve of Reagan’s departure from Bali for Tokyo, an exasperated Secretary of State George P. Shultz fenced with reporters over Southeast Asia’s policy differences with the United States and expressed irritation at the Soviets for failing to provide more information about the Chernobyl nuclear power plant explosion. And he said that while the disaster undoubtedly will be discussed in Tokyo, the United States hopes it won’t dominate the summit, “as important as the accident might be.”

Two Bilateral Meetings

Shultz held a press conference to sum up the Administration’s evaluation of Reagan’s visit here, which included bilateral meetings with President Suharto of Indonesia and Vice President Salvador Laurel of the Philippines and a session with the six-member Assn. of Southeast Asian Nations.

But after an opening statement that glossed over policy differences and mentioned that Reagan found his meetings “worthwhile,” Shultz was peppered with questions about the nuclear disaster as well as about economic and political issues that divide the United States and the ASEAN nations--Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Brunei.

Reagan’s meetings here and Shultz’s press conference underscored these continuing policy problems for the United States in Southeast Asia:

--The ASEAN nations still disapprove of the United States’ April 15 bombing raid on terrorist targets in Libya despite “strong evidence” cited by Reagan and Shultz of the culpability of Col. Moammar Kadafi’s regime in fomenting terrorism.

--Despite Reagan’s record as an outspoken opponent of protectionism, the President was unable to allay the ASEAN nations’ fears that pressures in the United States for trade barriers will result in measures that will hobble trade in this region, already hard hit by falling oil and commodity prices. The ASEAN nations gave Reagan a memorandum detailing their views on matters to be discussed at the economic summit.

--Human rights, a volatile issue that Reagan soft-pedaled in his sessions here, continues to be a serious problem in the region, especially in Indonesia, where Suharto is highly sensitive to criticism on the issue.

--Laurel pressed Reagan for further assurances that he is fully committed to the fledgling regime of President Corazon Aquino in the Philippines.

Vietnam’s invasion and continued occupation of Cambodia was one major issue on which the United States and ASEAN members apparently were in complete agreement. Shultz said the United States strongly supports ASEAN’s proposal for a political settlement that would call for removal of Vietnamese troops and the emergence of a government reflecting the will of the Cambodian people.

‘Cobwebs of Doubt’

The sharpest exchanges between Shultz and the press occurred over “the cobwebs of doubt” that Laurel said Wednesday existed in the minds of Filipinos about Reagan’s support of their new government.

“Let me remind you, the President is not on trial,” Shultz bristled.

He said the Administration had gone to “great pains” to extend immediate recognition and additional financial support to the Aquino government.

“It’s beyond me why there seems to be any question about it,” he said, adding that he didn’t “have a clue” about Laurel’s motives in questioning Reagan’s commitment.

Reagan and Laurel met privately Thursday morning in a session that Laurel said he hoped would clear the air “once and for all” about where Reagan stands.

Offended by Insistence

But Shultz appeared offended by Laurel’s insistence that Reagan reaffirm his support, arguing that the Administration’s actions had already made that point.

Shultz described Reagan’s meeting with Laurel as “not particularly testy,” an implied acknowledgment that the two had clashed on a number of subjects.

“Vice President Laurel, I must say, gave the impression that his needs were infinite, and we don’t have infinite capacity to provide money,” Shultz said of Laurel’s appeal for increased financial aid.

Urges Passport for Marcos

Shultz also revealed displeasure over Laurel’s stance on exiled President Ferdinand E. Marcos, arguing that the Philippine government should not discourage Marcos from leaving Hawaii for another country.

“He ought to be provided with a passport so he can go,” Shultz said. “The Philippine government has let it be known they would consider it unfavorably if another government took Mr. Marcos. . . . That’s a policy that ought to be thought over carefully.”

Shultz said that Laurel relayed Aquino’s acceptance of Reagan’s invitation to visit Washington later this year, probably in November.

The normally unflappable Shultz also showed flashes of anger when the subject of protectionism came up in a press conference. “As far as the President’s credentials on the fight against protectionism, they’re very strong,” he said.

Reminded that Foreign Minister Mochtar Kusumaatmadja of Indonesia had spoken of what he called Reagan’s “professed” anti-protectionism, Shultz flared.

“I don’t like that word, as you can tell,” he said, as he recited Reagan’s uphill battle against the forces of protectionism both worldwide and in the American Congress.

He said he urged Mochtar to examine his own country’s protectionist steps, pointing out that U.S. investors are required to buy from local monopolies commodities that are available more cheaply on the world market.

Nancy Reagan immerses herself in Balinese culture. Page 16.