Wright Says Moscow May Aid Nicaragua Peace Effort

House Speaker Jim Wright said Wednesday that the Soviet Union may be willing to reduce or halt its military aid to Nicaragua if the United States stops its military assistance to the Contras as part of a new Bush Administration approach to Central America.

Wright said that he was told by Soviet Ambassador Yuri V. Dubinin that Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev might go along with such a plan for ending superpower confrontation in the Western Hemisphere.

The Texas Democrat, an ardent opponent of additional arms for the Contras, said that Secretary of State-designate James A. Baker III told him recently that President-elect George Bush wants to work out a new Central America policy so that the White House and Congress can walk “hand in hand” on that issue.

Noting that the United States may soon halt its military aid to the rebel forces in Afghanistan if Soviet troops withdraw as scheduled by Feb. 15, Wright said that there may be a parallel in Nicaragua.

“I think it’s worth exploring with the Soviet Union,” Wright said at a breakfast meeting with reporters.

Referring to his recent talks with Baker, the Speaker said they discussed how Congress and the new Administration could jointly develop a policy in Central America that would eliminate the sharp debates of the past over White House requests for additional military aid to the Contras.

“I think it could be done without losing face on either side,” Wright said. “We can embark on a new direction--one that relies more strongly on negotiations, relying on the carrot and the stick.

“It might be enhanced by cooperation from the Soviet Union,” he added. Wright refused, however, to elaborate on that last comment, suggesting that he did not want to preempt announcements by Bush or Baker on the subject.

Sources confirmed Tuesday that Baker, in talks with congressional leaders and others, has said that the Bush Administration will seek a new approach to the Nicaraguan problem and indicated there will be no early request for military aid.

Speaking of Gorbachev’s proposals for changes in Soviet life, Wright said it is in the United States’ interest and in the interest of world peace for him to succeed.

“If he wants to spend more on roads instead of tanks, I applaud him,” he said. “Ultimately, it would lower U.S. military spending. We should demonstrate our approval of the new era of openness. Of course, we should be wary, too.”