Reagan, Mitterrand Center Talks on Soviet Relations

President Reagan told French President Francois Mitterrand Friday that “the Soviets may be more serious than ever before” in wanting to negotiate a nuclear arms control agreement with the United States.

A senior Administration official said Reagan was attempting to demonstrate his seriousness to Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev by stressing a commitment to arms control during the 80-minute Mitterrand meeting, which was devoted almost entirely to Soviet relations.

Mitterrand is scheduled to meet Gorbachev in Moscow this week, and U.S. officials expect him to convey Reagan’s sentiments and give them an assessment of the Soviet leader’s reaction.

After his diplomatic discussion, the President returned to his three-day celebration of patriotic themes, flying by helicopter to the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy to watch fireworks and tell the crew in prepared remarks that “Jew and Gentile, we are one nation under God; that, black and white, we are one nation indivisible; that, Republican and Democrat, we are all Americans.”

Although Reagan’s speech Friday night looked back at the heroism of the nation’s founders 210 years ago and the courage of “young Americans in uniform” in every subsequent war, his discussion with Mitterrand focused on the hope that the superpowers could reach an agreement that would make future war unlikely.

After the luncheon meeting on Governors Island, White House spokesman Larry Speakes toldreporters that Reagan had expressed hope that the United States and the Soviets could reach a “common-sense agreement” to reduce nuclear arsenals.

Speakes said that Reagan and Mitterrand had seen “eye to eye on all major facets of relationships with the Soviet Union,” including arms control, human rights and regional issues.

But Speakes acknowledged that Mitterrand had, in passing, referred to the unratified SALT II arms control treaty as a useful “restraint” in nuclear arms competition. Reagan announced on May 27 that he no longer considers the United States bound by the strategic arms limitation treaty on account of Soviet violations, even though the United States will not exceed its limits on missile launchers at least until the end of the year.

‘A Serious Effort’

The Soviets have since made a new nuclear arms control proposal at Geneva that Reagan has praised as “a serious effort.” A senior official said that the U.S. response, which could take several weeks, is likely to incorporate several elements of the Soviet plan.

But the official said the President is concerned that, since his SALT II announcement, Gorbachev does not believe that he is serious about arms control, and he wants to dispel this disbelief. Reagan has been emphasizing his seriousness about a new arms control agreement in recent interviews and is counting on Mitterrand to convey this to Gorbachev, the official said.

Responding to a question during a brief photo session before he met with Mitterrand, Reagan said Gorbachev is “misinformed” if he does not accept the U.S. seriousness.

Secretary of State George P. Shultz and Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger flanked Reagan during the picture-taking session, prompting a reporter to ask the President whether he intended to resolve the differences between them on arms control.

‘I Would Be Lost’

“You see them here, my right and my left hand,” Reagan responded with a smile. “I would be lost without either one of them.”

Shultz reportedly opposed abandoning SALT II and strongly favors a new strategic arms control treaty with the Soviets. Weinberger has repeatedly charged the Soviets with violating the major arms treaties they have signed.

The Cabinet members’ continuing differences were reflected in statements Speakes made after the meeting. He said Reagan stressed successful verification of testing as the key to a new arms control agreement and also emphasized that the Strategic Defense Initiative, often called “Star Wars,” is not a bargaining chip to use in negotiating with the Soviets. Both these points frequently have been made by Weinberger.

Some arms control analysts have contended that it will be difficult and perhaps impossible for the superpowers to agree unless Reagan is willing to accept some limits on his missile defense plan.

Reagan started his day with a visit to the battleship Iowa and reviewed a parade of the tall ships with Mitterrand before their meeting.