Bush Rejects Cheney View on Gorbachev

President Bush sought today to distance himself from his defense secretary’s forecast of failure for Mikhail S. Gorbachev, asserting that he wants the Soviet leader’s economic reforms to succeed.

In a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce two days after the negative prediction by Defense Secretary Dick Cheney, Bush reminded the business leaders that when he met with Gorbachev in New York in December he endorsed the Kremlin chief’s reform effort known as perestroika.

“I made it clear to Mr. Gorbachev . . . we want to see perestroika succeed . . . and likewise we want to see success for the economic reforms in China,” Bush explained. “Economic reforms, . . . market economy, private ownership, are indeed replacing socialist dogma in many countries, large and small, and that is an exciting trend. And in my view, it will continue.”

Cheney, in an interview broadcast Saturday on Cable News Network, responded bluntly when asked about Gorbachev’s plans: “If I had to guess today, I would guess he ultimately would fail; that is to say, he will not be able to reform the Soviet economy to turn it into an efficient, modern society.”

When that happens, the Pentagon boss continued, Gorbachev “is likely to be replaced by somebody who will be far more hostile than he’s been in terms of his attitude toward the West.”

White House chief of staff John H. Sununu moved quickly during the weekend to stress that Cheney was not speaking for the President, and Bush spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said today that while Cheney had offered just a “guess” on Gorbachev’s fate, “the Administration chooses not to speculate.”