Negotiators Get Month to Finish New Arms Pact

The United States and Soviet Union today gave their arms control negotiators one month to complete the key provisions of a new treaty to sharply reduce their strategic nuclear weapons.

The decision was made known as U.S. Secretary of State George P. Shultz wound up two days of talks in Moscow. He said negotiators in Geneva who have so far failed to make significant progress toward a 50% cut in long-range nuclear weapons were directed to report to him and Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard A. Shevardnadze in Washington on March 22-23.

Shultz also told a news conference the Soviets indicated they would be more flexible in handling emigration applications, except for those from people who have had access to state secrets.

Shevardnadze confirmed “categorically” that only those with information the government considers important to national security would be barred from emigrating, according to Shultz.

Earlier today, as he opened talks with Shultz, Mikhail S. Gorbachev pledged to achieve peace in Afghanistan and to try to reach a new nuclear arms agreement by spring.

Shultz and the Soviet Communist Party general secretary smiled broadly as they shook hands and sat down with their aides in opulent Catherine’s Hall in the Kremlin.

Vows to ‘Do Our Best’

At a picture-taking session, Gorbachev said the Russians will “do our best to achieve peace in Afghanistan and to have a nonaligned, neutral Afghanistan which would have good relations with its neighbors, with the United States and with the Soviet Union.”

At the news conference, Shultz said he does not have the “slightest doubt” that the Soviet Union will leave Afghanistan. But Shultz, who came here saying he would seek a specific timetable, gave no evidence he had received one.

Shultz, who arrived in Moscow on Sunday, met until early afternoon with Shevardnadze, then held talks with Premier Nikolai I. Ryzhkov before meeting Gorbachev.