Soviets ‘Very Unlikely’ to Back Gulf War Soon, U.S. Says

The White House said today it is “very unlikely” that President Bush will be able to muster support at a European summit from the Soviet Union for a compromise U.N. resolution on using military force against Iraq.

Just a few hours earlier, Bush had voiced optimism that some agreement would be found to overcome Soviet objections.

But, as the second day of the summit wound down, White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said it did not appear that Bush would have a deal in hand before he goes to Saudi Arabia.

The Persian Gulf crisis continued to dominate the unofficial agenda of the 34-nation Paris summit today, although French President Francois Mitterrand’s spokesman said the Conference on Cooperation and Security in Europe would not issue any statements on the crisis.

Bush flies to front-line Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to meet with Saudi leaders on the crisis. He will spend Thanksgiving Day with U.S. forces in the region and will meet with Egyptian leaders Friday.

The President, who was stung by his failure to win over Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev in private talks Monday, voiced optimism that he would be successful in overcoming Soviet objections. “Just be patient and all will be well,” he told reporters when asked about Gorbachev’s reluctance to support a U.N. resolution authorizing force.

The Soviets today publicly held to their position that diplomatic efforts to force Iraq out of Kuwait have not been exhausted.

“Both presidents are concerned about the issue,” Gorbachev’s spokesman, Vitaly Ignatenko, said. “They agreed that both sides should use maximum effort to fulfill the sanctions, and that the issue should be discussed in the (U.N.) Security Council.”

Bush and Secretary of State James A. Baker III have been unsuccessful in winning Soviet support for any kind of resolution authorizing a military strike. A meeting between Bush and Gorbachev on Monday night failed to produce a breakthrough.

The Administration would like the U.N. Security Council to pass some sort of resolution authorizing in advance a military strike to force Iraq from Kuwait.