Senate Likely to Urge U.S.-Soviet Summit Delay

Angered by the bloody Soviet crackdown in Lithuania, the Senate is preparing to adopt this week a bipartisan resolution urging President Bush to postpone his scheduled mid-February summit meeting with Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev, congressional sources said Tuesday.

The resolution--expected to get overwhelming approval--is intended as a strong signal to Gorbachev that continued Soviet-American cooperation is linked to Soviet restraint in the use of force against Baltic republics seeking independence.

Senate aides drafting the proposed legislation said it also may recommend the suspension of U.S. food credits for the Soviet Union--a step already being urged by Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.).

On a more positive note regarding U.S.-Soviet relations, the State Department welcomed the selection of Alexander A. Bessmertnykh, Soviet ambassador to the United States, to succeed Eduard A. Shevardnadze as Moscow’s foreign minister.

“We know him well, and we know he was instrumental in the positive improvement in our mutual relations during Foreign Minister Shevardnadze’s tenure,” said Margaret Tutwiler, chief spokeswoman for the department. Shevardnadze resigned after warning of a coming dictatorship in the Soviet Union.

Meantime, the State Department called in Sergei Chetverikov, the Soviet charge d’affaires, “to convey to him our deep concern about Soviet actions in the Baltics,” a department statement said.

After his meeting with Secretary of State James A. Baker III, Chetverikov told reporters that his country believes it is “extremely important” for the Moscow summit to proceed as planned.

Asked about the deaths of unarmed civilians in Lithuania, Chetverikov said:

“In this revolutionary time of reform, the leaders and the people cannot avoid these tragic occurrences, so I earnestly hope that they will be properly understood here and that we’ll be able to continue along the path that has been taken . . . in our relations.”

But the Senate, which has primary responsibility for overseeing the conduct of foreign relations, wants the Soviets to feel some repercussions for the recent violence in the Baltic states and a postponement of the scheduled summit is one option.

The White House has already acknowledged that summit plans are uncertain because of the Soviet army attack on a Lithuanian broadcast station that left 14 dead and scores more wounded. American analysts of Soviet affairs said the odds are clearly against Bush’s traveling to Moscow for the planned Feb. 11-13 meeting.

The Senate resolution was pushed by Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.), former Democratic leader, and Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Party leaders on both sides of the aisle in the Senate were reported ready to endorse it.

Staff writer Don Shannon contributed to this story.