State Dept. Calls a Truce in ‘Tit-for-Tat’ Envoy Ousters : U.S. Hopes Russians Will Agree

The State Department declared a truce today in its tit-for-tat battle of diplomatic expulsions with the Kremlin, declining to expel more Soviet diplomats in retaliation for the latest ouster of Americans from Moscow.

“We hope that this set of issues can now be put behind us,” State Department spokesman Charles E. Redman said.

“We now have to get on with resolution of the larger issues affecting U.S.-Soviet relationship and build on the progress made in the discussions in Reykjavik,” he said, referring to the summit between President Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev in the Icelandic capital Oct. 11-12.

Redman said the two governments have evidently accepted the concept of “parity” and should move on to arms control and other issues.

As it now stands, Moscow and Washington each have about 220 personnel at their respective embassies, and about 25 each at consulates in Leningrad and San Francisco.

Redman said the Administration will attach the same restrictions to the Soviet Embassy in Washington and consulate in San Francisco that the Soviet government ordered Wednesday by withdrawing 260 Soviet support staff members from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and consulate in Leningrad.

‘Reviewing All Aspects’

“Equal and reciprocal restrictions will apply to the activities of the Soviet Embassy and consulate general in the United States,” Redman told reporters.

“We are currently reviewing all aspects of our bilateral diplomatic relationship to ensure the principle of reciprocity governs all facets of that relationship.”

Redman also said the United States will take “a comprehensive look” at the staffing structure of its missions in Moscow and Leningrad.

He said this is likely to result in substantial changes in staffing patterns, adding, “Without question there will be some change in our ability to monitor what happens in the Soviet Union.”

But he said U.S. diplomats are dedicated, professional and skilled and will cope with the Soviet move, which he said “we foresaw.”

The Kremlin on Wednesday announced new restrictions on the American diplomatic installations in the Soviet Union, including the withdrawal of 260 Soviet support staff such as maids and mechanics. It also ordered an additional five American diplomats expelled.

Response, Counter-Response

The actions were taken in response to the Reagan Administration’s expulsion order Tuesday to 55 Soviet diplomats based in Washington and San Francisco.

That was a response in part to the Kremlin’s expulsion of five American diplomats last weekend, which itself was in retaliation for the American expulsion earlier this month of 25 Soviet diplomats attached to the Soviet U.N. mission in New York.

Had the cycle escalated further, the Administration would have expelled five more Soviet diplomats. But Redman said the only U.S. response will be to respond in kind to the embassy restrictions.

The Administration was unable to respond fully to the withdrawal of 260 Soviet support staff from the U.S. Embassy and consulate because there are only about 10 Americans employed by the Soviet Embassy and consulate, mostly translators.

But after today’s State Department stand on strict parity, those 10 undoubtedly will be withdrawn.

In addition, the State Department is expected to restrict the number of Soviets who may come for temporary assignment in the United States and the number of visas granted friends to visit Soviet diplomats, to correspond to similar restrictions placed on the U.S. diplomats Wednesday.