Soviets Promise to Free All Political Prisoners--Kohl : W. German Sees Action in 10 Weeks

Chancellor Helmut Kohl of West Germany said today the Soviets have promised to release all people regarded in the West as political prisoners within the next 10 weeks.

Such a move would be one of the most dramatic signs yet from Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev that he seeks a definitive break with past Soviet human rights practices, which have included the confinement of people who disagree publicly with Kremlin policy.

Soviet Foreign Ministry spokesman Gennady I. Gerasimov refused to confirm or deny that a release of political prisoners is in the offing.

Gerasimov said political prisoners in the country number about two dozen. However, political rights groups say there are about 200 political prisoners in the Soviet Union.

The White House said it is seeking further details, and a leader of a group seeking emigration of Soviet Jews said he is “skeptical” of the reported promise.

Gerasimov told a news briefing the issue of political prisoners was not on the agenda of Soviet-West German negotiations that brought Kohl to Moscow. Kohl held 10 hours of talks with Gorbachev and other top Soviet officials.

Understanding Told

At a news conference, Kohl told reporters that during the talks “the Soviets confirmed that they will release before the end of the year all political prisoners as we understand it in the West.”

When asked if the pledge had come from Gorbachev himself, Kohl said only it was made “during the talks.”

When asked how many people that could involve, Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher of West Germany replied, “We are not in a position to give final figures.”

Amnesty International, the London-based human rights group, said last month the number of people imprisoned in Soviet labor camps, psychiatric hospitals or exiled for their political beliefs numbers about 200, compared to 10,000 a few years ago.

In January, Soviet human rights activist Andrei D. Sakharov gave Gorbachev a list of 200 Soviet citizens he said were imprisoned because of their political or religious views.

Many Western governments have given lists to the Soviets of people they regard as jailed or held in psychiatric institutions for their political or religious beliefs.

In Washington, Deputy White House Press Secretary Roman Popadiuk said, “We have seen the news reports. We are awaiting further details. If true, it is something we would look forward to.”

Response Skeptical

In New York, the chairman of the National Conference on Soviet Jewry, Morris Abram, said he is skeptical of the reported Soviet promise.

“One will have to wait to see whether or not the promise is confirmed by the practice,” Abram told the Associated Press.

“I am skeptical because we’ve heard for a long time that the Soviets are going to obey the obligation to let everyone leave the country who wishes to leave. And that’s just not happened,” he said.

Last year, Soviet authorities released at least 300 prisoners who were being held on charges such as anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda or slandering the Soviet state. Most Estonian and Lithuanian nationalists who were being imprisoned for their views have been released this year.

Kohl said West Germany supported Moscow’s controversial proposal to host an international human rights conference, provided it was organized in the same way as two others to be held in Paris and Copenhagen.

Genscher said other conditions included the release of political prisoners, a halt to jamming Western radio broadcasts and allowing more emigration from the Soviet Union.