February 14, 1974

Sec Kissinger, asked at Feb 13 news conf if expulsion of A I Solzhenitsyn from USSR would affect Soviet-Amer relations, says 'necessity for detente as we conceive it does not reflect approbation of Soviet domestic structure'; says detente is produced by unacceptability of gen nuclear war under present conditions; says US has always looked with sympathy at expression of freedom of thought in all societies and has regretted some of manifestations that have interrupted this; says only problem US has is 'extent to which our human, moral and intellectual concern for Solzhenitsyn should affect the day-to-day conduct of our foreign policy'; declines to make judgment whether Solzhenitsyn is better off in West (M)

Arab oil-producing states on Feb 13 abruptly call off meeting that was to have considered lifting of oil embargo against US and Netherlands; Libyan press says meeting was 'postponed indefinitely' at request of Saudi Arabia and Egypt; diplomats say Saudi Arabia and Egypt need more time to persuade fellow Arab leaders that embargo should be lifted; postponed meeting is apparently one Pres Nixon had in mind when he announced in his Jan 30 State of Union address that 'urgent meeting' would be held to discuss lifting embargo; leaders of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Algeria are gathering in Algiers for conf to analyze Arab political strategy; main problem facing conf is insistence of Syria that 'oil weapon' continue until US obtains concessions from Israel that would satisfy Syrian demands for separation of forces on Golan heights; Syrian Pres Assad during recent trip asked Saudi King Faisal and Kuwaiti ruler Sheik Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah to maintain oil restrictions; Assad reptdly met with Libyan leader Col Qaddafi on Feb 13 on his way to Algiers conf; Libya and Syria are expected to lead opposition at oil mins' conf to any attempt to lift embargo (M)

Western diplomats in Moscow, commenting on Soviet deportation of author Aleksandr I Solzhenitsyn, speculate that it will result in setback to Soviet policy of improving relations with West; banishment instead of trial and imprisonment linked to policy; timing linked to Sec Kissinger agreement to visit USSR in Mar to prepare for later visit by Pres Nixon (S)

Soviet dissident novelist Aleksandr I Solzhenitsyn's arrival at W Ger author Heinrich Boll's home, Lagenbroich, after Solzhenitsyn's deportation from USSR described; Solzhenitsyn, appearing happy to be in W Ger, says he will not give any ints in near future; Soviet Amb to W Ger Valentin M Falin reptdly told W Ger Foreign Office that Solzhenitsyn wished to come to W Ger and stay with Boll; Boll, who is Internatl PEN pres, has often spoken out against Soviet treatment of Solzhenitsyn; Solzhenitsyn and Boll illus; map (M)

Conn Gov Meskill on Feb 13 asks Gen Assembly for resumption of Sunday gasoline sales, end to all purchase limitations and power to ban purchases by motorists with more than half tank of gasoline; asks for mandatory allocation system, promising it will not be imposed until voluntary measures have been given chance to work; is still dissatisfied with odd-even plans in NYS and NJ; NYS lines are as long or longer than ever and odd-even system is not being followed; NYC Consumer Affairs Dept survey of 751 motorists waiting on gasoline lines in NYC finds 54% favor workable odd-even systen, 45% favor coupon rationing, 48% say they need fuel for work-related trips and 22% just want gasoline in their cars; 39% of garage operators favor coupon rationing and 23% favor odd-even system; Inter-city Service Stations Assn exec dir Max Victor scores situation; friction and some violence at garages discussed; NJ Gasoline Retailers Assn pres Jerry Ferrara says number of private, unbranded stations have reopened in North Jersey with supplies from price-decontrolled domestic stocks and imported fuel; says they are charging 62c per gal; Meskill por