All’s Quiet on Superpower Spouse Front

Shortly after Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev told the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday that he would make substantial cuts in Soviet military forces, his wife, Raisa, and First Lady Nancy Reagan held a peace conference of their own.

In what would figure to be the last official meeting of the two superpower spouses, friction that had marked their previous three encounters was not apparent as the two held hands, had lunch and said they would probably meet again someday.

Elaine Crispen, Nancy Reagan’s press secretary, reported: “Mrs. Gorbachev said to Mrs. Reagan, ‘Destiny brought us together with our husbands, and perhaps you and your husband could come to the Soviet Union.’ Mrs. Reagan did say, ‘Yes, we could, and perhaps you and your husband could come to California.’ ”

According to the press secretary, Nancy Reagan called the encounter “an enjoyable afternoon, a very pleasant luncheon. I’m sorry our schedules didn’t allow us more time to spend together.”

Future First Lady Barbara Bush seemed to set the tone by chatting and making jokes during the photo session, which took up the first several minutes of the Reagan-Gorbachev reunion.

‘Cheese’ in Russian?

“How do you say ‘cheese’ in Russian?” Barbara Bush quipped as photographers snapped away.

“Are you tired?” she then asked Raisa Gorbachev.

Answered Nancy Reagan for her, “She never gets tired.”

“We want your secret,” chimed in Barbara Bush.

The luncheon, hosted by Marcela Perez de Cuellar, wife of the U.N. general secretary, brought together two dozen women from the worlds of politics, business and journalism. Seated at three round tables overlooking the East River in Perez de Cuellar’s Sutton Place townhouse, the guests talked about a variety of subjects as they dined on poached eggs on crepes and red mullet.

Matilda Cuomo, wife of New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, sat at the head table. She said Raisa Gorbachev was the center of attention.

“It was very cordial, very warm,” said Mrs. Cuomo, who said the topics included the Soviet Union, the Bolshoi ballet, art and child care. She said the interchange between the two First Ladies was “very cordial, very warm. When Mrs. Gorbachev left, they held hands and she wished Mrs. Reagan very well, good health and happy times in the future.”

Another guest, television interviewer Barbara Walters, said the interchange between the two women was “cordial.” But at one point, when Raisa Gorbachev was talking about the new openness, Barbara Walters said she commented, “And now, you must open up.”

Nancy Reagan reportedly said, “Well, I always thought we were open.”

‘Old Friends’

Aileen Mehle, who writes the gossip column called “Suzy” for the New York Post, said the First Ladies “were like old friends. Everything was pleasant and lovely, smiling.

“And the food was so wonderful. Mrs. (Liana) Dubinin (wife of the Soviet ambassador) sat down and said, ‘I’m so hungry.’ I said, ‘You came to the right place.’ ”

Raisa Gorbachev told reporters: “I’m happy to be visiting New York, the city you call the Big Apple, the city that attracts millions of tourists. I’m happy to visit the Metropolitan Museum and to meet Americans again.”

She left the luncheon after an hour and 20 minutes to accompany one of the guests, Estee Lauder, to her cosmetics manufacturing headquarters on Fifth Avenue. There, she received a round of applause from 500 people who had waited for her, and she chatted with some of them.

“I’m going to faint. I had tears in my eyes,” said Pat Whitehead, a shopper who met her.

Estee Lauder sprayed Raisa Gorbachev with “White Linen,” one of Lauder’s colognes, and gave her a large sample of cosmetics. The Lauder family also gave her other gifts, including his-and-her T-shirts reading “I Love New York.”

Raisa Gorbachev rejoined her husband at a reception at the World Trade Center and accompanied him on a whirlwind tour of the city and to a gala reception in their honor at the United Nations.

Earlier in the day, Raisa Gorbachev had toured the United Nations, where she also got some rave reviews.

“We like you!” someone called out from a crowd as Mrs. Gorbachev viewed tapestries and other works of art.