Gorbachev: Superpowers ‘Marking Time’

Mikhail S. Gorbachev suggested to Secretary of State George P. Shultz today that “we’re marking time” in superpower relations as hope for a new arms control accord in time for the Moscow summit faded.

But Shultz disagreed. “From our point of view, we are far from marking time,” he said. “We are keeping time in a very strong way.”

Shultz differed with the Soviet leader’s appraisal at a news conference after a three-hour meeting. But Shultz did not list an arms reduction treaty as one of the “significant achievements” to be expected when President Reagan meets with Gorbachev in a Moscow summit May 29-June 2.

In fact, Shultz said, “the going is hard” to complete a pact to reduce strategic nuclear weapons in the five weeks remaining.

“It’s pick-and-shovel work,” he said.

Shultz’s session with Gorbachev in the gilded Catherine’s Hall followed nine hours of talks with Foreign Minister Eduard A. Shevardnadze over two days.

Shultz told the Soviet leader, “I’m here to make preparations for the President’s visit.”

Gorbachev responded: “As for the substance, it seems that we are losing something. Maybe we’re marking time.”

Appears Subdued

The two men shook hands at the outset, but Gorbachev seemed somewhat subdued. American reporters were cautioned that if they tried to ask questions of Gorbachev during the photo-taking session they would not be invited back.

Usually, Gorbachev welcomes a few questions.

Shultz, at his news conference, said Reagan’s summit meeting with Gorbachev will have “a very businesslike tone” and the two leaders will have “a great deal of substance to talk about.”

But American officials have virtually abandoned hopes of completing a treaty to reduce long-range nuclear missiles by the time the summit starts.

Reagan had hoped to sign a treaty at the summit to reduce arsenals of long-range bombers, missiles and submarines by 30% to 50%.

But the Soviets, suspicious of Reagan’s “Star Wars” program, want a guarantee they could halt the cutbacks if the United States conducts tests in space judged to be in violation of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.

One small note of progress was an agreement on procedures for joint underground nuclear tests in July. The first test will be held in the Nevada desert, the other at Semipalatinsk, in the Soviet republic of Kazakhstan.