Protests ‘a Good Sign,’ E. German Leader Says

East German leader Egon Krenz said the widespread protests in his country are “a very good sign” of public support for the reforms he discussed today with President Mikhail S. Gorbachev.

Krenz, who said he and Gorbachev reached “total agreement on all questions that we discussed,” said many of the hundreds of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators in East Germany’s streets were showing their support for “the renovation of socialism.

“In this sense I consider this a very good sign,” Krenz told a Moscow news conference during his first visit since succeeding hard-line leader Erich Honecker last month.

Despite some negative aspects about the protests, “the main fact of these demonstrations is to show the goal of improving life in East Germany,” he said.

Speaking forcefully in his hoarse, powerful voice and smiling often, Krenz described an intense meeting with Gorbachev at which the time flew by unnoticed as they discussed Soviet reforms and their possible applications in East Germany.

Meanwhile today, hundreds of East Germans fled to Czechoslovakia after the government lifted travel restrictions, and a top Communist official for the first time said the future of the Berlin Wall could be open to discussion.

Also, East German officials acknowledged that the country’s rigidly planned economy is in serious trouble and that sweeping reform may be on the way.

East Germany today lifted restrictions that had barred most travel to Czechoslovakia since Oct. 3. Honecker imposed the ban to stem the flow of thousands of refugees fleeing West through West Germany’s embassy in Prague.

Krenz rescinded the ban and has also hinted that a new law giving East Germans greater travel freedom would be studied. Czechoslovakia is the only country East Germans can visit without permission.

Hours after the ban was lifted, more than 200 East Germans arrived at the West German compound in Prague.

Earlier, Communist authorities in East Berlin agreed to issue documents allowing East Germans in the West German Embassy to travel West. A similar arrangement is under way in Poland.

In Moscow, Krenz ruled out the idea of tearing down the Berlin Wall as well as the possibility of reuniting the two Germanys.

But in Kiel, West Germany, a Communist official for the first time publicly said the government may be willing to relax its view on the need for the wall.