UPHEAVAL IN THE SOVIET BLOC : Soviet-Czech Talks on Troop Cuts Worry West : Military: The U.S. may be pressured to pull thousands of American soldiers out of Europe.

The Czechoslovaks and the Soviet Union began sensitive military negotiations here Monday that could generate powerful--and to, some Western strategists, unwelcome--political pressure on the United States to pull tens of thousands of its troops out of Europe.

More than 20 Czechoslovak and Soviet diplomatic, military and economic officials met at Czernin Palace to discuss the new Prague government’s demand that the approximately 75,000 Soviet troops garrisoned here be withdrawn by the end of the year.

Czechoslovak officials insist that the issue has nothing to do with the superpower talks in Vienna on reducing the levels of Warsaw Pact and North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces in Europe. But a Western diplomatic source here said that if the Soviets comply with the Czechoslovak demand, “there will be tremendous pressure on us to start pulling out, too, and I’m not sure that’s a good idea, strategically.”

The United States, with about 325,000 troops in West Germany, has the largest contingent of foreign troops among the NATO countries in Europe, but Canada and Britain also have a significant military presence on the Continent.

Go-Slow Approach

NATO favors a more measured reduction of troops along the line that has separated East and West in Europe since the end of World War II. It would prefer to spread withdrawals out over a two- or three-year period to preserve a degree of stability in the fast-changing political climate.

While the Soviets have not commented publicly on the Czechoslovak demand, they, too, are believed to favor a phased withdrawal.

Soviet troops entered Czechoslovakia on Aug. 21, 1968, at the head of a Warsaw Pact invasion force that put an end to the Prague Spring reforms of Communist Party chief Alexander Dubcek. Their stay was legalized Oct. 16, 1968, by agreement between the two governments.

The new Czechoslovak government, installed after last year’s “velvet revolution,” proposed Dec. 3 that talks begin on a withdrawal of the Soviet forces. The next day, Warsaw Pact leaders meeting in Moscow condemned the 1968 invasion, adding moral weight to Prague’s contention that the October, 1968, agreement was obtained by coercion and is therefore void.

The Soviets, in the course of a Dec. 20 visit to Moscow by the Czechoslovak foreign minister, Jiri Dienstbier, agreed to discussions on the subject. And last week, in what was interpreted here as an opening shot in the talks, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said that Prague wants the troops out by the end of this year.

Earlier, Hungarian officials called for the withdrawal of Soviet forces from that country by the end of 1990, but the talks that opened here Monday are believed to be the first formal negotiations on the subject between Moscow and one of its Warsaw Pact allies.

“It’s a very responsible but not easy job,” Deputy Foreign Minister Evzen Vacek told an interviewer, commenting on his role as head of the Czechoslovak delegation to the talks. “I do hope it will be easier than I think.”

Other Czechoslovak sources said Prague wants Moscow to pull out up to half of its troops this spring and to commit itself to withdrawing the rest by the end of the year.

Early withdrawal would presumably be a major plus for candidates endorsed by the Civic Forum movement in national elections scheduled for June 8. Civic Forum, while ruling in coalition with the Communists, has clearly been setting the political agenda here since early last month.

Dienstbier was Civic Forum’s spokesman before he was named foreign minister; Vaclav Havel, who became Czechoslovakia’s president on Dec. 29, was the movement’s leader.

Removal of the Soviet garrison is clearly a popular issue. About 6,000 people demonstrated Sunday near the central Moravian town of Olomouc, where one of the largest Soviet contingents is garrisoned, calling for complete withdrawal by Aug. 21, the 22nd anniversary of the Warsaw Pact invasion.

Residents told a Western reporter who visited the town over the weekend that they want about 600 apartments that are reserved for Soviets made available to Czechoslovaks. They also complained about a nearby military airfield.

Minimize Friction

The Soviet troops are reportedly kept close to their barracks in an effort to minimize the possibility of friction with the Czechoslovaks. But in the center of Olomouc, they have a fenced compound that includes barracks, a hospital, stores and a school.

The Kremlin withdrew a tank division from Czechoslovakia last year as part of a unilateral reduction involving about 50,000 troops from East Europe. It is expected to withdraw the equivalent of another division this year, according to diplomatic sources.

The negotiations here are expected to continue today and possibly Wednesday. Czechoslovak officials said they hope the issue will be resolved at these meetings, but Western diplomats are skeptical.

The complexity of the talks was underlined by the presence, on both sides, of Finance and Interior ministry representatives.