Beijing Talks Bring China, Soviets Closer to a New Era

China and the Soviet Union edged closer Thursday to a new era of friendship as their foreign ministers discussed plans for a summit meeting, economic cooperation and the search for peace in Cambodia.

Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard A. Shevardnadze, in a banquet speech Thursday evening, held out the vision of a vibrant and mutually beneficial “new type of relationship” between the two Communist powers.

“One of the pillars of this, as seen by the Soviet Union, is the transformation of the Sino-Soviet border into a zone of peace, friendship and good-neighborly cooperation,” he said.

“This should include balanced reduction of military confrontation between the Soviet Union and China to a low, mutually acceptable level, full settlement of the border problem and the launching of economic cooperation between border regions on a large scale.

‘Efforts for Cooperation’

“We have to make efforts for cooperation in the spheres of economics, trade, science, technology, cultural and intellectual exchanges, the founding of joint ventures and the training of personnel.”

The two countries were close allies in the 1950s but split over ideological and border issues. Trade and cultural relations have improved in recent years, and political contacts have warmed rapidly in the past six months.

A major purpose of Shevardnadze’s trip is to set a date for the first Sino-Soviet summit meeting in 30 years, which would mark the full normalization of relations. Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev is expected to come to Beijing during the first half of this year, probably in April or May, to meet with China’s top leader, Deng Xiaoping, and other Chinese officials.

Shevardnadze and Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen both indicated that in nearly three hours of talks Thursday morning they made progress in the search for a solution to the Cambodian conflict. The Soviet Union has backed Vietnam and the Vietnamese-installed government in Phnom Penh, while China has supported a three-faction Cambodian resistance coalition.

China and Vietnam reportedly have reached agreement that Hanoi will withdraw its troops by September and Beijing will end its aid to the resistance. But the makeup of the Cambodian government at the end of this process has not been determined.

Both Moscow and Beijing wish to avoid the appearance of dictating peace terms to their respective clients. But Chinese and Soviet officials gave unusually clear indications Thursday that they are discussing the shape of an internal Cambodian settlement and are prepared to take steps to help guarantee it.

“I would like particularly to point out that the Cambodian issue is developing in a direction favorable to political solution,” Qian said in his banquet speech. “As big nations concerned about the Cambodia issue, China and the Soviet Union should continue to make constructive efforts for an early, just and reasonable settlement of the issue.”

In the morning talks, according to the official New China News Agency, Qian said that the “international community should . . . make positive efforts for a fair solution to Cambodia’s internal problems.”

International Supervision

Shevardnadze agreed on the need for international involvement, according to the Chinese news agency. It quoted him as saying in the morning talks:

“International supervision is necessary for Vietnam’s troop withdrawal from Cambodia, for the implementation of any agreement reached between the various parties involved and for free elections to be held there. The big powers should participate in guaranteeing that.”

The two countries have emphasized that even as their ties improve, they will not re-create an alliance or the unequal relationship of the 1950s, in which the Soviet Union acted as “elder brother.”