U.S. Envoy Makes Personal Plea to Soviets on Hostages : Appeal Seen as Dramatic Test of Ties

In a dramatic test of new Soviet-American contacts aimed at combating terrorism, the United States has asked the Kremlin for its help in determining the status of American and other Western hostages held by militant Muslims in Lebanon, informed sources said here today.

The request, which follows the reported killing of an American hostage Monday and a threat to kill another Thursday, was made at a hastily called meeting today between Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard A. Shevardnadze and U.S. Ambassador Jack F. Matlock, the sources said.

Tass press agency reported the meeting in a three-line announcement this afternoon. A spokesman at the U.S. Embassy, confirming that the meeting had taken place, said it had come at Matlock’s request, lasted for “less than an hour” and was intended “to convey the deep concern of the U.S. government regarding the hostages being held in Lebanon.”

Neither side provided any further details, but an informed source said Matlock had sought Soviet assistance “in the new spirit of cooperation the two countries have declared in the battle against terrorism.”

The hostage situation was discussed last January by American and Soviet civilian experts at an unprecedented bilateral symposium on the subject.

Details Lacking

Another source termed the contact useful but refused to provide any details of the Soviet response.

The meeting took place only hours after Shevardnadze returned from what Tass said was “a brief working visit to Tehran,” where he met with the new Iranian president, Hashemi Rafsanjani.

Tass said, “Shevardnadze touched on the exacerbation of the situation in Lebanon, including in connection with the abduction of Sheik (Abdel Karim) Obeid, a Shiite leader, and the execution of U.S. citizen William Higgins, who was taken hostage.”

According to Tass, Rafsanjani “voiced deep regret over what has happened and confirmed that Iran does not have relation to the tragedy which broke out in Lebanon.” It said the two sides “denounced any actions of a terrorist nature and favored the adoption of urgent measures to prevent a further sharpening of the situation.”

Israeli commandos seized Obeid, a leading pro-Iranian Muslim militant, in a raid into south Lebanon last Friday, reportedly hoping to exchange him for three Israeli servicemen held in Lebanon.

Group Issues Demands

A Shiite group known as the Organization of the Oppressed on Earth demanded that Obeid be freed by Monday, but the Israelis refused. On Monday the group announced that it had hanged Lt. Col. William R. Higgins, 44, the Marine Corps officer seized in February, 1988, while serving as a U.N. truce observer in southern Lebanon.

The circumstances of Higgins’ reported death have not been confirmed. A special U.N. envoy, Marrack Goulding, arrived in Beirut today to investigate.

Another pro-Iranian Shiite group, the Revolutionary Justice Organization, has said it will kill another American hostage, Joseph J. Cicippio, 58, if Obeid is not released by Thursday.