Bush Sees Soviets Hurt by Nuclear ‘Stonewall’

Saying that the Soviet Union “has not come clean” on the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster, Vice President George Bush said Monday that the Soviets’ “stonewall” response has seriously damaged them in the eyes of the world.

Speaking at a fund-raiser for Rep. Ron Packard (R-Carlsbad) at the U.S. Grant Hotel, Bush accused the Soviets of “unconscionable” behavior for their refusal to immediately divulge the extent of the nuclear accident.

“The Soviet Union behaved badly in terms of any concept of international cooperation,” Bush told a luncheon crowd of about 450 people, “because what they have done is failed to do what anybody should do when you have neighboring countries terrified by a nuclear accident.

“They are dealing from fundamental weakness, because they did not open up and share the information that a waiting world really was entitled to. And I think it’s going to hurt them in terms of world opinion. I think they were as wrong as they can be.”

Bush expressed the hope, however, that international criticism over the incident might ultimately lead to greater Soviet openness on arms control and other issues.

“Let’s hope . . . world pressure will be brought to bear on the Soviets and they’ll do in this field and arms control and other fields what they should have done long ago,” Bush said. “Say, ‘Look, let’s reduce tensions, let’s remove the fear of nuclear weapons . . . and to do that we’re going to open what heretofore has been a closed society.’ ”

Bush’s San Diego appearance ended a two-day swing through Southern California in which he raised funds for his own political action committee and three Republican congressmen--Packard, Robert K. Dornan of Garden Grove and Robert J. Lagomarsino of Ventura.

In his speech at Monday’s $100-a-person fund-raiser, Bush heaped superlatives on both Packard and the Reagan Administration’s record, then answered questions from reporters and others in the audience.

In response to one question, Bush defended the recent U.S. military attack on Libya, arguing that the action “sent a message around the world” that state-sponsored terrorism will not be tolerated.

“I think out of that action . . . you’re going to see much more international cooperation,” Bush said. “And that’s the name of the game. That’s the only way we’re going to combat international terrorism.”

While most of this nation’s allies initially opposed the U.S. bombing attack on Libya, Bush said Monday that the action “is now more clearly understood than the day it happened” and, as a result, more widely supported. As evidence, he pointed to the decision by some Western European nations to expel Libyan embassy personnel suspected of involvement in terrorism.

He also argued that “public opinion in Europe is way ahead . . . of the governments in Europe” in terms of supporting the U.S. military attack.

On other issues, Bush:

- Drew loud laughter and applause when he said of former budget director David Stockman’s controversial book: “I haven’t read the book and I thought it was lousy.” In the book, Stockman describes President Reagan as having only a superficial understanding of the budget and of economic theories, and criticizes other top Administration officials for their failure to balance the federal budget.

“I just don’t think that (someone) ought to accept the trust from a President and then do that,” Bush said. “My sense of loyalty, my sense of ethics, my sense of honor and decency rebel at something of that nature.”

- Conceded that crackdowns on drug trafficking in Florida have produced increased drug smuggling near San Diego and elsewhere along the Mexican border. However, Bush said, the Administration is “putting more resources” in the Southwest to try to prevent drugs from crossing the border, including the use of military personnel and equipment.