Soviets Deny Bugs at New U.S. Embassy : Say Washington Is Trying to Poison Talks Atmosphere

A top Kremlin official today denied that the KGB bugged the new U.S. Embassy and claimed Washington was trying to “poison the atmosphere” with spy charges before next week’s visit of Secretary of State George P. Shultz.

At the same time, Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Petrovsky hinted that the Soviets will produce their own list of embassy espionage allegations at a news conference Thursday.

Petrovsky complained at a news conference today that President Reagan had made “hostile remarks” about the Soviet Union at a news conference Tuesday. He did not specify what remarks he meant.

Reagan told reporters in Washington that he might order the new embassy in Moscow torn down if it cannot be protected from eavesdropping and said until he resolves security questions about the facility, Soviet diplomats will not be allowed to occupy their new embassy in Washington. (Story on Page 6.)

Riddled With Bugs

Two members of Congress said the new U.S. Embassy in Moscow, a $191-million brick-and-glass facility still under construction, is riddled with bugging devices.

Petrovsky told a news conference the charge was “absolutely untrue.”

After reporters pressed him to confirm or deny there had been spying against the U.S. mission, he said: “This has all been invented. These are fabrications on the part of those who want to undermine Soviet-American relations. There are no grounds, no serious evidence.”

Petrovsky said an anti-Soviet campaign was staged by the Americans every time “some serious business is to be done.”

‘Hardly Considered an Accident’

“It can hardly be considered an accident that such a crucial moment, when preparations are nearing completion for the visit of U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz to Moscow, was chosen for yesterday’s series of anti-Soviet pronouncements,” he said.

Shultz arrives Monday for three days of talks expected to focus on a possible U.S.-Soviet accord limiting medium-range nuclear missiles.

“It is an open secret the objective prerequisites are taking shape for headway in resolving the issues which determine Soviet-American relations and for reaching accords in the key area of security, accords which all nations are awaiting from us,” Petrovsky said.

“It appears that some people in Washington are displeased with such a prospect,” he said. “So, they are working up psychosis in a bid to poison the atmosphere in which Soviet-American talks are to be held.”

Visit Considered Important

Petrovsky said the Soviets consider the Shultz visit important. “We hope that the U.S. will not come to Moscow empty-handed,” he said.

“It is important that the visit will take place in appropriate climate,” he added.

“As for the Marines and their escapades in Moscow, I see no reason for comment,” Petrovsky said. But he said the Soviets will hold another news conference Thursday to document their own allegations about spying.

“As to who is involved in espionage, you’ll find out about that tomorrow,” Petrovsky said. He refused to elaborate.