Soviet Defends Lithuanian Policy : Moscow Has ‘Clear Conscience,’ Foreign Minister Says

Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard A. Shevardnadze met President Bush for nearly 2 1/2 hours today and said Moscow had “a clear conscience” on its tough policy of containing Lithuania’s independence drive.

“We have a clear conscience on this as regards the Lithuanian people and a clear conscience as regards all of our people,” Shevardnadze told reporters who crowded around him in the rain outside the White House after the meeting.

Bush cautioned the Kremlin against using force against the breakaway republic, lest it “adversely affect” broader superpower relations.

In remarks to the American Society of Newspaper Editors after meeting Shevardnadze, Bush said his message to the Soviets was “do not use force because we have an awful lot at stake in the U.S.-Soviet relationship.” He mentioned arms control treaties under negotiation, human rights and regional issues, which include Nicaragua and Afghanistan.

The Soviets have said they do not intend to use force to resolve the Lithuanian demand for secession.

In his public comments, Bush did not offer any details of his two hours of talks with Shevardnadze.

But Shevardnadze and the White House acknowledged that it may not be possible to resolve all major provisions of a new treaty to reduce long-range nuclear weapons before the arrival of Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev on May 30.